IPOH: A six-year-old autistic boy was found drowned in a drain 330m from his home in Kampung Baru Sungai Sumun, Bagan Datuk, on Tuesday (June 30) after being reported missing earlier in the day.
Bagan Datuk OCPD Supt Mohammad Ali Mohd Jali said a report on the child’s disappearance was received at 4.54pm.
He said the boy was last seen by his father in the living room of their home.
"The family, together with local residents, searched the area around the house but were unable to find the child," he said in a statement on Wednesday (July 1).
Police then set up a forward command post and launched a search and rescue (SAR) operation with the Hutan Melintang fire station, Malaysian Civil Defence Force, the Perak police contingent’s K9 unit, and local residents.
He said the boy's body was found fully clothed, floating in a drain at about 10pm.
Supt Ali said a preliminary examination found no signs of physical injury or foul play.
"The body was sent to Hospital Teluk Intan for a post-mortem, which confirmed that the cause of death was drowning," he said.
Police have classified the case as a sudden death report.
He urged the public not to speculate or spread unverified information about the incident, to respect the family’s privacy, and to avoid causing unnecessary confusion.
