Dead baby discovered in clogged toilet at Malaysia bus terminal

The toilet wouldn't flush and overflowed with bloody water.

A cleaner startled by the sight sought help from taxi drivers who were taking a break at a bus terminal in Kuantan, Malaysia, on Monday (Sept 23).

At first, they thought a sanitary pad had caused the toilet to clog up, but they found an umbilical cord when they took a closer look.

After fishing out the cord with a wire, the toilet was still choked.

That was when they realised there was a baby inside and immediately called the police, Bernama reported.

The police found the body of a premature, fully-formed baby in the toilet, which had been closed for upgrading works since Sept 19.

CCTV footage revealed that a woman clad in black had entered the female restroom at 6am that day with a luggage bag in tow.

Half an hour later, she was seen exiting the toilet wearing a baju kurung.

[[nid:459967]]

Kuantan police said they are tracking down the woman who is believed to have abandoned the baby at the bus terminal, and appealed to the public for information on her whereabouts.

A post-mortem is being carried out on the infant's remains at Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital.

The case has been classified as concealment of birth by secret disposal of a dead body, which carries the penalty of a jail term of up to two years, a fine, or both.

According to statistics released by Malaysia's Women, Family and Community Develop­ment Ministry last year, over 900 newborn babies were dumped between 2010 and 2018. 

Commonly left behind in public toilets and garbage areas, only a third of abandoned infants were found alive. 

lamminlee@asiaone.com