Neighbours told police that Cheah Sieow Eng was beaten to "chase away evil spirits that had possessed her".

The girl was brought in dead to hospital early on Wednesday.

Police, however, have classified the case as murder after a post mortem at Selayang Hospital yesterday revealed she had been strangled.

She had also been severely beaten with a belt, a cane and hands. There were also cigarette burns all over her body.

Pathologists said that the wounds were less than a month old.

Police have arrested the girl's 25-year-old mother and are looking for her live-in boyfriend.

Sentul police chief Assistant Commissioner Sofian Yassin said the man fled their home in Taman Fadason, Jinjang Utara, after discovering Cheah was dead.

The boyfriend has a 2-month-old daughter with Cheah's mother. It is said that he drove off with the girl in a Nissan Cefiro.

"We believe he is in Batu Pahat and have alerted police there to be on the lookout for him," Sofian said.

Police said he is on Johor police's wanted list for two cases of criminal intimidation and theft, and he allegedly sold VCDs and repaired mobile phones for a living.

Cheah's mother and the man lived together for almost a year in Taman Fadason.

Police seized a Perodua Kenari at the house and found a parang, an air gun and several other items they believe can help in the investigations.

Police who questioned the mother's parents learnt that they had not seen their daughter and grandchild since Jan 16.

The grandparents were hoping to meet Cheah on Chinese New Year but mother and daughter did not turn up.

They were at the mortuary yesterday together with other relatives to identify and claim the remains.

Her uncle, identified only as Cheah, was distraught and questioned others how anyone could have been so cruel to a small girl.

"Look at her body... look at her body... how could this happen," her uncle cried.

"I told her grandparents that I wanted to adopt her after I found out that her father had gone missing.

"But her mother's boyfriend persuaded the family that he would take care of the girl's needs. I miss her so much."

The girl will be cremated in Cheras on Saturday.

On Tuesday, her mother said she had taken Cheah out for a drive to buy some food. When she arrived at a foodstall in Kepong, she decided to have her meal there and left the girl in the car for more than an hour.

She told police that when she returned to the car, she found her child lifeless and in the nude.

The mother rushed her to Selayang Hospital where she was pronounced dead. Doctors discovered injuries on the girl's body and lodged a police report.

Police have urged those with information on the whereabouts of Tey Kian Min, 26, to contact the nearest police station.