JOHOR BARU: The remand period for five people - arrested for alleged child abuse which ultimately caused the death of a nine-month-old baby - has been extended, say police.
Johor Baru North OCPD Asst Comm Balveer Singh said the five, who were arrested last Thursday (April 25), were previously placed under a six-day remand until Wednesday (May 1).
“The Johor Baru court has granted an extension of the remand for five more days until Sunday (May 5),” he said in a statement on Wednesday.
He added that one of the suspects, a friend of the baby’s mother, also tested positive for drugs.
“All of the suspects arrested do not have any criminal record but one of them tested positive for drugs.
“Investigation also found that one of the suspects had sought early treatment for the baby at a clinic before she was sent to Hospital Sultanah Aminah (HSA),” he said.
ACP Balveer added that the post-mortem on the victim found that there were elements of injuries that led to her death.
“The investigation is still ongoing and we are still trying to track down the victim’s mother to assist in the investigation,” he said, adding that no one has come forward to claim the baby’s body from HSA’s forensics department so far.
It was earlier reported that the police have arrested five people, including two foreigners, over the death of a baby who was allegedly abused.
ACP Balveer said the police were notified by a medical officer from HSA at around 6.55pm last Thursday (April 25) about a baby who was receiving treatment at the hospital’s intensive care unit due to suspected abuse.
“At around 10pm on the same day, a team from the Johor Baru North district police headquarters arrested two foreign women and a local man, who is the boyfriend of one of the suspects.
“The two female suspects are friends of the baby’s mother, who is a Vietnamese woman. Besides that, a married couple were also arrested as they were the victim’s babysitter,” he said in a statement late Tuesday (April 30) night.
