PETALING JAYA: A specialist doctor who conducted the post-mortem examination on the body of Zayn Rayyan Abdul Matin said, in the Sessions Court here on Tuesday (April 8), that the cause of death of the autistic child was due to strangulation, Sinar Harian reports.
Dr Rohayu Shahar Adnan, a forensic medical consultant specialist from the Pasir Gudang Hospital forensic medicine department, said this during the trial involving Zayn Rayyan's parents, Ismanira Abdul Manaf and Zaim Ikhwan Zahari, both 30-years-old, who are facing charges of neglecting their son.
Dr Rohayu, who was the 27th prosecution witness, said this conclusion was based on the results of the post-mortem conducted at Sungai Buloh Hospital, at noon on Dec 7, 2023.
In response to Deputy Public Prosecutor Raja Zaizul Faridah Raja Zaharudin's questions, Dr Rohayu, 54, said that strangulation of the neck could occur using a rope, lanyard, or twisted cloth, and was not due to drowning.
While reading the witness statement, Dr Rohayu said that the evidence of strangulation was visible from muscle bruising in the neck and thyroid gland.
"This indicates that the act was strong enough to restrict the flow of oxygen to the lungs and brain, subsequently suffocating the deceased and resulting in death.
"There were overlapping strangulation marks on the neck located 6cm below the right and left ears, including bruising on the neck muscles and thyroid gland beneath these strangulation marks," she said.
She added that the post-mortem also revealed evidence of blunt and sharp trauma.
Furthermore, the witness, who has worked in forensic medicine since 2003, said that foreign objects were found in Zayn Rayyan's respiratory tract and stomach.
According to her, the palate of the eldest child of the accused couple was also bruised, indicating that the foreign object was forcibly inserted into the mouth.
However, she noted that the foreign object did not cause death as the cause of death was not choking.
She also testified that there were also tears and abrasions in the rectal area of the child due to the insertion of a blunt object, but these were not fatal.
"There were signs of blunt trauma such as bruising around the eyes, forehead, lips, back of the head, jaw, neck, back of the right shoulder, between the shoulder blades, back, chest, abdomen, right side of the body, and both arms.
"There were also incisions, stabs, and cuts on the left ear extending to the back of the head on the left side," said the witness, who is also an honorary lecturer at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM).
She added that incisions were also detected at the back of the head on the right side, on the upper right arm, and on the lower right arm.
According to her, these blunt and sharp trauma injuries were not fatal but constituted physical abuse against the victim.
She stated that the injuries on the deceased were recent, as indicated by the body's defence system reaction visible through microscopic examination.
Wrinkles on the palms and soles of the feet, she said, only indicated contact or immersion in water and were not the cause of death as Zayn Rayyan did not drown in water.
"The body of the deceased had begun to decompose, as indicated by the greenish skin, peeling, and bloated abdomen.
"There were no defence wounds or injuries from punching or kicking observed on the victim," she added, noting that no serious illness was found in the internal organs.
On June 13 last year, the couple pleaded not guilty to a charge of neglecting their child in the Sessions Court here.
According to the amended charge, the couple was accused of jointly having custody of Zayn Rayyan, 6, and neglecting him in a manner likely to cause physical injury.
The offence was allegedly committed at Block R, Idaman Apartments, Damansara Damai, extending to the nearby river area, between noon on Dec 5, 2023 and 9:55pm the following day.
The charge was made under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 and punishable under Section 31(1) of the same act read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code, which carries a fine not exceeding RM50,000 or imprisonment not exceeding 20 years or both, if convicted.
On Dec 6, 2023, Zayn Rayyan was found dead in a tributary near Idaman Apartments, Damansara Damai, at 10pm.
The victim was previously reported missing before being found lying approximately 200m from his residential block.
The trial before Judge Dr Syahliza Warnoh will continue on Wednesday (April 9).
