Toddler sent to babysitter dies of head injuries
PUBLISHED ONMarch 02, 2014 3:29 AMByHariz Mohd and Jaspal Singh
KUALA LUMPUR - A toddler died barely three hours after his mother left him at a babysitter's house in Dato Keramat, here, on Friday.
City police Criminal Investigation Department acting chief Assistant Commissioner Khairy Ahrasa said a post-mortem conducted on the 20-month-old found that he suffered severe head injuries, and it is believed to involve criminal elements.
"About 7.45am on Friday, the victim's mother left him at the babysitter's house before she went off to work.
"At 9.15am, the mother received a call from the babysitter, who said that her son was dying and his face was bluish.
"When the mother arrived at the house, she found the victim unconscious and rushed him to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10.30am."
Khairy said the victim's parents had engaged the babysitter's service about three months ago.
He said police have yet to make an arrest.
The toddler's family had claimed his body on Friday, and buried him at their hometown in Kuala Terengganu.
The case has been classified under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.
In Ipoh, a 2-month-old infant has been in coma at the Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun for the past five days after he was allegedly abused by his middle-aged nanny.
The baby boy was admitted to the hospital's emergency ward at 11pm on Feb 25 by his parents after he had became unconscious at home.
According to sources, a CT scan showed there was blood haemorrhage in his brain.
It was established that the baby had suffered head trauma due to vigorous shaking.
Sources also said no other injuries were detected on the infant's body and the hospital had lodged a police report over the matter immediately after the scan.
The child's parents, who are civil servants, have been sending the baby to the nanny, believed to be in her 50s, since Feb 5.
The nanny takes care of 10 other children up to the age of four.
The case is being investigated by police under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 for ill-treatment.