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 water.
Seremban OCPD Asst Comm Mohd Yatim Osman said the arrest was made following a report lodged around 7.20pm on Tuesday.
“Based on the 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.”
A short while later, the grandmother went to check on the victim, but the victim was not in the cradle.
ACP Mohd Yatim said the suspect then went looking for the victim and found her submerged in a pail of soapy water at the rear of the house.
The victim was found positioned face down in the pail.
She then rushed the victim to a clinic and then to Hospital Tuanku Ja’afar, but doctors pronounced her dead.
“A post-mortem was carried out, but we have yet to get the results.”
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 for up to 20 years or fined up to RM50,000, or both upon conviction.
He urges anyone with information to contact the investigating officer, Insp R. Sinniah, at the district police station on 06-6033 222.
