BUTTERWORTH: A 25-year-old store assistant here has been arrested for allegedly abusing her seven-month-old baby.
North Seberang Prai OCPD Asst Comm Noorzainy Mohd Noor said the woman was arrested at the Luminari Apartment here on Monday (March 8).
A report was lodged by the woman’s husband after his sister-in-law noticed the bruises on the infant’s body, ACP Noorzainy said on Tuesday (March 9).
“The woman’s husband, a mechanic, said his wife dropped the victim off at his place in Telok Air Tawar on Sunday (March 7).
“He asked his sister-in-law to bathe the victim and was later told that there were bruises on the child’s body and eyes.
“The man took the victim to the hospital for a check-up and proceeded to lodge a report over the alleged abuse.
“The mother said the victim might have fallen off a swing while under the care of some friends at an apartment here.
“Police are doubtful of her statements as we suspect that the victim’s mother and her friends are drug users and could have caused the injuries.
“But as there was no CCTV footage of the apartment, we have no evidence,” ACP Noorzainy said.
He added that the victim’s mother tested positive for methamphetamine and has three prior drug offences.
ACP Noorzainy said, however, that medical reports from Seberang Jaya Hospital where the child was admitted confirmed that there were bruises on the victim’s chin, face and left side of the abdomen.
“There was also bleeding in the victim’s right eye.
“Most of the bruises were about 1cm square, but there was a large bruise on the victim’s abdomen measuring 2cm by 1cm.
“There are no fractures and the baby is in an active state,” he said, adding that police have detained the victim’s mother under Section 31(1) of the Child Act 2001 for ill-treatment of children under a person’s care.-The Star