Police have detained a babysitter in Sarawak, after the child’s mother reported allegations of abuse after having left her 16-month old baby boy in the minder’s care.
Initial reports have stated that the baby was not only physically assaulted by the 23-year-old suspect, but that he was also starved of food and drink over the three weeks that he was in her care. Police sources have added that the babysitter was frustrated that the child’s mother had been slow to pay her wages for looking after her son.
On Thursday morning, the baby’s mother received a WhatsApp message alerting her that her son had suddenly started crying, and turned pale. Rushing to the career’s house, she found her baby unconscious, and took him to Sarawak General Hospital.
Doctors have said that the victim is in critical condition, and that told the mother that the baby had been suffering from weeks of neglect and dehydration. He had bruising on his forehead, which the babysitter later admitted were a result of her hitting him over the head with a baby bottle. He was also found to be suffering from a lung infection.
An arrest was made yesterday afternoon, shortly after the child’s 17-year-old mother filed a police report on what she says was child abuse. The babysitter is in police remand and being investigated under the Child Act 2001.
