PONTIAN: Police detained a couple for failing to send their son who suffered from burns to hospital for treatment five days after the incident happened.
Pontian OCPD Supt Mohammad Shofee Tayib said they were detained following a report by one of their family members who was not satisfied with their lackadaisical attitude.
He said the family member on Tuesday (Jan 3) had come across messages in the family’s WhatsApp Group on the nine-year-old boy who suffered burns on the right side of his body, armpits and thigh.
"The incident took place on Saturday (Dec 31, 2022), instead of sending the victim to a hospital, his parents decided to self-treat his burns," Supt Shofee said in a statement.
He said the complainant together with her husband and mother who lived at Kampung Parit Kudus near here went to the couple’s house at Kampung Parit Kochi, also in Pontian.
Supt Shofee said when the three of them arrived at the house, they advised the boy’s parents to send their son to the hospital but they did not heed their advice.
"The complainant was unhappy as they (the couple) refused to send the victim to hospital after five days and the burns were getting worse," he added.
Supt Shofee said the boy suffered burns after playing with fire in the garbage heap by throwing egg casings in the fire, causing explosions.
He said, unfortunately, the victim’s shirt and pants caught fire and the boy had dived into a ditch located in front of the family’s house to put off the fire.
"The victim’s mother also helped to put out the fire and quickly brought him into the house," said Supt Shofee, adding the boy’s parents only bought cream and painkillers from a pharmacy to treat the burns.
He said following the report, police visited the family’s house and sent the boy to the Pontian Hospital and his condition was stable.
Supt Shofee said the victim would be sent to the Sultanah Aminah Hospital in Johor Baru for further treatment.
He said the 36-year-old man and his 33-year-old wife have been detained to assist with the investigation and the case was being investigated under Section 31(1)(a) of the Children Act 2001.