Down syndrome man scalded with 6% burns on body
GEORGE TOWN: Prepared for his usual stroll through the neighbourhood, he calmly awaited the lift’s arrival on the 16th floor of his apartment building in Bayan Lepas.
As the lift doors opened, the 33-year-old man with Down syndrome stepped inside. Also in the elevator was a woman dressed in a white long-sleeve shirt and black pants.
Suddenly, the woman took out a flask from her bag and proceeded to splash the man with hot water.
A 20-second video of the incident showed the man grimacing in pain during the 9.24am incident on Friday.
A. Krishna Arni, 23, said the victim, who is her brother, ran back to their house via the stairs after the incident.
“He was crying, saying it was painful. At first, we were not sure what had happened besides finding that there were blisters and scald marks on the front and back of his body.
“We sent him to the Penang Hospital after that,” she said.
Krishna Arni said her family does not know the woman except that she is also one of the residents there.
“We do not know who she is or why she resorted to such an action. I hope justice will be served,” she said.
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Balik Pulau deputy OCPD Deputy Supt Jafri Md Zin said the woman, 39, was picked up at 9.21pm on Friday and would be remanded until April 24 to facilitate the investigation under Section 324 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt by a dangerous weapon or means.
Penang Hospital director Dr Goh Hin Kwang said the victim suffered 6% burns on his body.
“We are positive about his condition. The recovery process is expected to take about two weeks,” he said, adding that the victim is warded in a burn unit.
On claims that the victim could have been splashed with acid and not hot water, Dr Goh said initial clinical treatment found that the injuries were caused by hot water.
Penang social development, welfare and non-Islamic religious affairs committee chairman Lim Siew Khim said she regretted the incident, adding that the public should be more aware of people with disabilities such as Down syndrome and autism.
“I hope the public will be more concerned and not act based on emotion. There should be more acceptance and inclusion in society for those with Down syndrome,” she said, adding that it was fortunate that the victim did not suffer from serious injuries in the incident.
Lim said the Penang government, through the state Welfare Department, has handed over an immediate cash assistance of RM500 to the victim’s family.
Also present was Bayan Lepas assemblyman and state assembly deputy speaker Datuk Azrul Mahathir Aziz, who presented the victim with duit Raya.
Down syndrome, also known as trisomy 21, is a genetic disorder where a person is born with an extra copy of chromosome 21.
People with Down syndrome typically have an IQ in the mild-to-moderately low range.
