4-month-old baby dies in M'sian childcare centre, family suspects abuse

A four-month-old baby died while under the care of a hospital's childcare centre in Malaysia on Mar. 9.

According to Malaysian state media Bernama, the infant died in Seberang Jaya Hospital, Penang, just hours after being sent to the childcare centre.

The family said they suspect he had been abused.

Two centre employees were arrested, and the case is under police investigation.

Incident

The victim, identified as Hayl Haarith Mohd Syafaeez, was sent to the childcare centre on the night of Mar. 8, according to Bernama.

His mother, a 30-year-old nurse, was reportedly working the night shift at the same hospital and was unable to care for him that night.

In the early morning of Mar. 9, the infant was found unconscious at the centre and subsequently taken to the hospital for emergency treatment.

Despite doctors performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on him for about an hour, he was eventually pronounced dead.

Abuse allegations

The infant's uncle told Malaysia Gazette that the family was informed about the incident after his sister, the victim's mother, received a call from the nursery.

He then asked to view the nursery's CCTV and found what appeared to be elements of abuse towards the infant.

"The CCTV footage caused deep anger and sadness to our family, and I filed a police report regarding the incident," he said.

The infant's father also told Sinar Harian that an autopsy found injury marks on his son's head, eyes, nose and right side of the face.

There were also allegedly wounds on his scalp.

"I will never forgive this act because it is inhumane and I vow to demand justice so that the same fate does not befall other families," he said, expressing his regret at not having taken his son and wife to buy new clothes for Hari Raya celebrations.

Prior allegations

According to the infant's uncle, the family began sending the victim to the childcare centre about three or four months before the incident, after his mother returned to work post-confinement.

It was chosen mainly because it was located within the hospital grounds and was close to their home.

"We thought it was safe because it was in the hospital grounds," he told the media.

"We never thought something like this would happen to our family."

He also alleged that the centre faced previous allegations of children being slapped in the nursery, but he had not found any injuries on his nephew before his death.

2 employees arrested

Penang police said they received a report about the incident, and the infant's body was sent to the hospital for a post-mortem.

"Police have arrested two female employees at the centre, both in their 20s," they said, as reported by Bernama.

They will be brought to court on Mar. 10 and are under investigation for murder.

Top images via Canva & Sinar Harian