Melaka abuse victim's autopsy reveals many old and new wounds, swellings

 

A van jenazah (hearse) ferrying the remains of the 7-year-old boy arrives at the Padang Lebar Muslim Cemetery, Simpang Bekoh, ahead of the funeral. - NSTP/AMIR MAMAT

MELAKA: There were many swelling marks and a few old and new injuries on the body of the 7-year-old boy who died from alleged abuse by his mother and stepfather at Taman Krubong Jaya, here.

There was also a small wound, measuring three centimetres, at the back of the child's head, which is believed to have been inflicted recently.

State Criminal Investigations Department head, Assistant Commissioner Mohd Sukri Kaman, however, said that they are still unable to ascertain the cause of death of the victim, and whether it was due to abuse or from drowning, as claimed earlier.

According to Sukri, the autopsy report on the victim has not been able to identify the cause of death because there are a few specimens which have to be sent to the laboratory for further testing.

"It is still too early to confirm the cause of death. What we can confirm for now is that there were injuries, especially on the head and a few other parts of the victim's body, especially on the back.

"We believe that the injuries occurred from being on the receiving end of beatings with a blunt object, though we are still carrying out investigations as to whether the injuries were a result of the victim falling down or from being beaten by any individual," he said when met outside the Melaka Hospital's Forensics Department on Sunday night (Jan 31).

Sukri added that specimens from the victim's lungs, heart and kidneys have already been sent to the laboratory for further testing, but he could not provide any further details as to when the laboratory results can be obtained.

Speaking further on the matter, he said that when police personnel arrived on scene at the victim's house last Friday (Jan 29), the victim's body had already been taken out from the container of water which was on the ground floor bathroom of the residence.

"When police personnel arrived on the scene, the victim had been dead for about three hours, therefore nullifying claims by some netizens that he had been dead for three days," he revealed.

"The victim's three siblings have also been called up to have their statements recorded to assist in investigations which are still ongoing in accordance with Section 302 of the Penal Code," he said. - NST