Four female teenagers arrested on suspicions of having a role to play in the death of their housemate’s 20-month old baby have been “crying most of the time in lockup” over the weekend, according to local media reports.
Police have been trying to get statements from the quartet as they proceed in the murder investigation. According to a Semporna senior officer, the girls “appear to regret their actions,” as told to The Star.
Preliminary inquiries into the death of the toddler have led police to believe that the four, ranging in ages from 16 to 19 years old and from The Philippines and Indonesia, assaulted the boy because he would not stop crying.
The child’s 23-year-old mother lived with the four, and had been estranged from the tot’s father for a year.
On Friday afternoon, she rushed her son to Semporna, Sabah’s eponymous main hospital, after she realized that the toddler was pale and having difficulties breathing. Doctors reported that he had bruising on his body, but could do little to save his life and he was pronounced dead at 6:45pm. She filed a police report against her housemates shortly thereafter.
Although investigations are still on-going, police have reported that witnesses can corroborate the mother’s accusations that the four handled the dead toddler “roughly.” They are facing allegations of having hit, kicked and thrown the baby on to one of the house’s mattresses. One is accused of stepping on the young toddler’s back.
Officers have not yet established a motive for their behavior and a postmortem is pending. Drug tests on the four teens have come back negative.
Charges filed against the quartet are expected next week.
