Zayn Rayyan strangled, didn’t die from injuries or drowning, court told

 

Dr Rohayu Shahar Adnan told the Petaling Jaya sessions court that an autopsy on Zayn Rayyan Zaim Ikhwan revealed signs of both blunt and sharp force trauma, indicating physical abuse. (File pic)

PETALING JAYA: 

A forensics expert who conducted a post-mortem on Zayn Rayyan Zaim Ikhwan told the sessions court here that the boy had died due to strangulation, despite injuries found on other parts of his body, including his anus.

Dr Rohayu Shahar Adnan, who heads the Sungai Buloh Hospital forensic medicine department, said her conclusion followed the autopsy conducted on the boy on Dec 7, 2023, Sinar Harian reported.

Rohayu, who is the 27th prosecution witness, told the court that the marks found on the boy’s neck suggested strangulation with an object such as a rope, lanyard or twisted cloth.

Therefore, the cause of death was not drowning, she said.

She said the wrinkling of the skin on Zayn Rayyan’s hands and feet only indicated contact with or immersion in water, but not drowning.

“If the victim had died from drowning, there would be clear signs such as the lungs expanding and filling the thoracic cavity. In such cases, there would be no signs of strangulation on the neck,” she said.

When reading her witness statement, Rohayu, 54, also said signs of strangulation were evident based on the bruising found on the boy’s neck muscles and thyroid gland region.

“This indicates that the act was forceful enough to cut off the oxygen supply to the lungs and brain, ultimately causing the victim to suffocate to death.

“There were overlapping strangulation marks on the neck, located about 6cm below both the right and left ears,” she said.

Other injuries not fatal

Rohayu also said the autopsy revealed signs of both blunt and sharp force trauma, indicating physical abuse, but these were not fatal.

She added that foreign objects were found in the respiratory tract and stomach of the deceased.

She said the victim’s palate was also bruised, indicating that the foreign object had been forcibly inserted into his mouth. However, she said the object had not caused the boy’s death.

Rohayu – who has served in the field of forensic medicine since 2003 – also said the injuries found around the victim’s anus did not cause his death.

“There were signs of blunt force trauma, such as bruises on the eyes, forehead, lips, back of the head, jaw, nape of the neck, right shoulder blade, between the shoulder blades, back, chest, abdomen, right side of the torso and on both arms.

“There were also incised wounds, stab wounds, and slashes on the left ear extending to the back of the left side of the head,” she said, adding that slash wounds were also found on the right side of the back of the head, the upper right arm and the lower right arm.

She said the injuries were recent, as the body showed immune system responses observable under microscopic examination.

“No defensive wounds or signs of punching or kicking were observed on the victim,” she added, noting that no serious injuries were found on Zayn Rayyan’s internal organs.

The boy’s parents, Zaim Ikhwan Zahari and Ismanira Abdul Manaf, pleaded not guilty at the Shah Alam sessions court on June 13, 2024, to neglecting their autistic son at Damansara Damai between noon on Dec 5 and 9.55pm on Dec 6, 2023.

The trial before judge Syahliza Warnoh continues tomorrow. - FMT