Court extends remand of five over death of 4-year-old boy

BATU PAHAT – The remand period for five individuals, including the sister of a 4-year-old boy allegedly abused to death in Senggarang here, has been extended for another seven days.

Magistrate Siti Zubaidah Mahat allowed the remand order against all the individuals aged between 15 and 37, which ended today, to be extended until January 7 to complete the investigation.

The case was initially investigated under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001, but after the victim died, it was reclassified for investigation under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.

Last Tuesday, Johor police chief Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat reportedly said the 4-year-old boy was admitted to Sultan Ismail Hospital, Johor Baru on December 23 after fainting at a house in Senggarang before he died at 6.45pm on December 26.

The victim, who was under the care of his 19-year-old sister as their parents are currently in prison serving time for drug offences, was later handed to her friends to look after.

On Thursday, Kamarul Zaman reportedly said the result of the autopsy conducted at HSI found that the cause of death was due to blunt force head trauma. – Bernama, December 31, 2022