MELAKA: Two cases of concealment of birth have been uncovered by the police here so far this year, says state police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Dzulkhairi Mukhtar.
He said the first case involved a young woman who gave birth alone last August before handing the baby over to her lover.
“The infant is believed to have died and was subsequently buried in front of an unoccupied house in Kelemak, Alor Gajah,” he said yesterday.
The case came to light when a police report was lodged on March 25.
Five individuals, aged between 16 and 40, were detained on the same day to assist in investigations.
“Four of them are family members. All the suspects have no prior criminal records and tested negative for drugs. They have since been released on police bail,” he said.
The case is being investigated under Section 318 of the Penal Code for concealment of birth by secret disposal of a dead foetus.
In the second case, police received a report from a medical officer at Hospital Melaka on April 25 about a 17-year-old girl who was admitted for treatment.
The girl is believed to have suffered complications during her 22nd week of pregnancy.
The teenager said the foetus was buried by her boyfriend at an undisclosed location.
DCP Dzulkhairi said an 18-year-old youth was detained on April 25, while the girl was detained on May 5 following her discharge from hospital.
Based on investigations, he said the couple had allegedly planned to terminate the pregnancy.
“The male suspect had taken the foetus from the girl’s home and temporarily concealed it in a vehicle parked at his house,” he said.
DCP Dzulkhairi said the male suspect would be charged under Section 318 of the Penal Code, while the girl would be charged under Section 315 for causing the death of a newborn.
