In Malaysia, teenage girls arrested over baby’s death

KOTA KINABALU — The senseless battering to death of a baby boy in Semporna is seen as having been motivated by more than just frustration over the baby’s non-stop crying, say police.

Sabah police commissioner Datuk Omar Mammah said from what they gathered from the four female teenage suspects, one of them, a 19-year-old, was jealous that her boyfriend was starting to have feelings for the mother, Mia, 23.

Another suspect, an 18-year-old, had been quite angry for a while, as Mia was always scolding her.

He said they lost their temper and wanted to take it out on the baby.

In the Sept 20 incident at Kg Egang-Egang on Bum-Bum island, Mia went out to borrow money from some friends to buy milk and other necessities for her baby. When she returned home at about noon, she found her child weak, pale and seemingly unconscious.

She took her baby to the Semporna Hospital, where he was pronounced dead about six hours later.

The baby is said to have been slapped, tossed on a mattress and pulled until he hit his head on the metal side of the bed before being wrapped in a blanket for about five minutes.

Not satisfied, another suspect later stepped on the child’s back.

His body is still at the hospital awaiting a post-mortem.

All four suspects aged, between 16 and 19, are being investigated for murder.