SEREMBAN: Police have detained a 54-year-old woman following the tragic death of her 11-month-old granddaughter, who was discovered unresponsive and submerged in a pail of soap water.
Seremban OCPD Asst Comm Mohd Yatim Osman said the arrest was made following a report lodged around 7.20pm on Tuesday (May 26).
"Based on preliminary probe, the victim's parents left her at the grandmother's house around 9am on the same day before leaving for work.
"Around 2.30pm, the grandmother put the victim in a cradle and went to the kitchen to cook and put out the laundry," he said in a statement.
A short while later, the grandmother went to check on the victim but she was not in the cradle.
ACP Yatim said the suspect then went looking for the victim and found her submerged in a pail of soapy water behind the house.
The victim was found positioned face down in the pail.
She then rushed the victim to a clinic and then to the Tuanku Ja'afar Hospital but doctors pronounced her dead.
"A post mortem was carried out but we have yet to get the result," he said.
The case, he said is being probed under Section 31(1)(A) of the Child Act 2001 for child abuse, neglect, abandonment, or exposure to danger.
It criminalises actions or a lack of action, by anyone who has the care of a child and acts in a manner likely to cause the child physical or emotional injury.
Offenders can be jailed up to 20 years or a fine of up to RM50,000, or both upon conviction.
He urges anyone with information to contact investigating officer Insp R. Sinniah at the district police station at 06 6033 222.
