Woman's boyfriend beats three-year-old son to death for vomiting on sofa

MELAKA: A woman's boyfriend allegedly killed her three-year-old son by hitting and kicking the child for staining a sofa at his home in Cheng here.

Melaka Tengah OCPD Asst Comm Christopher Patit said the 24-year-old woman and her 31-year-old boyfriend were detained on Friday (July 7) to assist in investigation under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder as well as Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 for causing physical or emotional injuries.

He said the one-week remand orders on both suspects were issued by the Magistrate’s Court in Ayer Keroh here at 8.30am on Friday (July 7).

ACP Christopher Patit said the woman, who is the biological mother of the victim, had sent her child to her boyfriend’s house at 5.30am on Thursday (July 6).

“The child was unwell and the male suspect was supposed to take him to a clinic,” he said.

ACP Christopher Patit said about 40 minutes later, the male suspect called the woman and told her that the child was unconscious after he had a sudden fall from the staircase before the couple rushed the victim to the hospital.

"Medical officers at Hospital Melaka found the child in a serious condition and attempted to resuscitate him.

"The child succumbed to his injuries at 9.15am on Thursday (July 6),” he said.

ACP Christopher Patit said the postmortem report showed the child had succumbed to severe injuries on the head and body after being hit and kicked.

He said police detained both the couple at the hospital following the outcome of the postmortem report.

ACP Christopher Patit said the male suspect had admitted to fatally beating the child after the victim vomited on his favourite sofa during the preliminary investigation.