Boy dies of severe injuries

KUALA LUMPUR: An eight-year-old boy, believed to be a victim of child abuse, died earlier this afternoon.

The boy had been warded at the Ampang Hospital since December after his mother brought him in when he had stopped moving and breathing.

According to a police source, he was malnourished and had bruises – old and new – on his body including cane marks. Several of his fingers were also burnt and had become gangrenous when he was brought in.

“We are working hard to solve this case,” said the source.

The case is classified as “child abuse”. The source said it could not be classified as murder as the initial post-mortem results showed the boy died of blood infection.

It was learnt that police had previously detained the mother, a saleswoman in her 30s, but released her on bail.

The source also said that the woman’s husband is living in Australia and had regularly sent home money but had stopped doing so last year.

Family and neighbours said they seldom saw the boy around the house and believed he was kept at home whenever the mother went to work.

They also told police that they heard screams and believed the boy was being beaten at home.

“We are now wrapping up our investigation,” said the police source.