Recently, a 2-year-old boy was found unattended at a restaurant in Raub, Pahang, after his family had accidentally left him behind at the restaurant parking lot and continued their journey to Johor Bahru, Johor, in 2 vehicles.
It was only when the family was in Kuala Lumpur that they noticed that the toddler wasn’t with them. Thankfully, a Good Samaritan brought the boy to the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), who kept the toddler safe until his parents retrieved him.
Unfortunately, such an incident is not the first to happen in Malaysia, nor would it be the last, if recent history were to provide an indicator.
In fact, over the past 3 years, several children have been accidentally left behind by their families at eateries and Rest and Relaxation (R&R) areas, largely due to miscommunication.
Here are 5 such instances that caught the attention of netizens when they happened:
1. A family drove all the way to Kuala Lumpur before realising their 2-year-old was left behind at a restaurant in Raub
On 2 December 2025, a 2-year-old boy was found unattended in front of Azmi Stim Restaurant in Raub, Pahang.
The child was found by a man who saw the toddler wandering around in the parking lot. The man waited for about 45 minutes, but no family members came. Then, the child was taken to the Raub Police Station.
The police managed to contact the child’s family, and they arrived at the Raub Police Station at 4 PM to pick up the child. The Raub Police Station Chief interviewed the parents of the child, who had boarded 2 vehicles from Johor Bahru on 30 November 2025, to Tersan, Dong, Pahang.
After completing their business, on 1 December 2025, at 12 PM, they stopped to eat at the Azmi Stim Restaurant, Raub
After having lunch, the family continued on their journey back to Johor Bahru, thinking that the little boy was in one of the 2 vehicles. Unfortunately, they realised that this wasn’t the case when they reached Kuala Lumpur.
2. A 5-year-old boy was left behind at a Temerloh eatery, and his family only realised he was missing 90 minutes later in Kuantan
On 27 July 2025, a 5-year-old boy was found alone at a restaurant in Temerloh, Pahang, at around 10 PM.
The boy’s family travelled to the restaurant in 2 cars, and the boy was supposed to have left the eatery with his uncle, but he did not get into the vehicle.
It was not until the family arrived in Gambang, Kuantan, that they realised the boy was not in the car.
Upon realising the boy’s disappearance at around 11:30 PM, his parents contacted the Temerloh District Police Headquarters (IPD) and arrived at the Temerloh Police Station to pick up the boy at 12:40 AM on 28 July.
3. Three foreign workers help look after a boy after his parents accidentally left him behind at Pagoh R&R
In February 2024, a Malaysian couple accidentally left their youngest child behind at Pagoh R&R in Johor and only realised the matter after the mother received a phone call from a foreign worker named Ismail.
In a series of videos on TikTok, the mother shared the phone call she received and how the couple returned to the R&R to fetch the boy.
Upon arriving at the rest stop, her son could be seen sitting by the roadside while accompanied by the foreign workers.
The mother wrote, “So thankful, Alhamdulillah, my youngest child was helped by 3 Bangladeshi workers, the one whose name is Ismail gave his phone to call me and bought him some bread and water.”
4. A 6-year-old boy was left behind at a restaurant in Raub after his parents’ miscommunication
On 15 May 2023, a 6-year-old boy was left alone at a stall in Medan Selera Simpang Kallang in Raub, Pahang.
The boy was then brought to the Raub Police Station, with the police thankfully being able to contact his close kin. The Raub District Police elaborated that the 6-year-old was brought by his family to the stall to eat.
His mother was leaving for Kelantan after the family had eaten there, while the boy’s father was heading to Kuala Lumpur.
A miscommunication arose afterwards as the mother thought that the boy would follow his father, while the father thought that he would accompany his mother.
In the end, the boy was left all alone at the stall. Thankfully, concerned citizens who were in the vicinity kept him company and called the police.
5. PDRM reunites a 15-year-old boy accidentally left behind at Tapah R&R with his family
In April 2023, a 15-year-old Malaysian boy was accidentally left behind by his family at a petrol station in Tapah R&R, Perak. His family went on with their journey without realising he wasn’t inside one of their vehicles.
Two police officers, Inspector Muhamad Hafizd with L/KPL Firzad Shamir, found the boy all by himself while patrolling the area, and managed to track down his parents and contacted them.
The police officers then transported the teen via a PDRM patrol vehicle to the Tapah toll plaza so that he could be reunited with his family.
When the family was finally reunited, the police officers advised the family to be more vigilant about the whereabouts of their children and to always ensure their safety.
The charges the families could’ve faced for their alleged negligence
It can be argued that the parents or families above have committed child neglect or have left their children without reasonable supervision, both of which are offences under the Child Act 2001.
Speaking to WORLD OF BUZZ, Nik Nur Aisyah, a partner at Kuala Lumpur-based law firm ADIL Legal, the parents or guardians could arguably be charged under Section 31(1)(a) of the Act below for neglecting or exposing the children in a manner likely to cause them physical or emotional injury.
If convicted, the parents or guardians can face a fine of up to RM50,000 or imprisonment of up to 20 years or both upon conviction.
Moreover, as per Section 31(2) of the same Act below, those charged under Section 31 may also be ordered by the Court to execute a bond with sureties to be of good behaviour for such period and on such conditions as the Court thinks fit and to perform community service. Those who fail to comply with the orders of the bond shall be liable to a further fine of up to RM10,000 or to an additional jail sentence not exceeding 5 years or both.
As for the aforementioned community service, it shall be between 36 hours and 246 hours in aggregate and be performed within a period not exceeding 6 months from the date of the order. It’s also subject to any other conditions specified by the Court, and those who fail to perform the community service may be liable to a fine of up to RM10,000.
Meanwhile, Section 33 of the Child Act 2001 prescribed that it is an offence for parents or guardians to leave a child without reasonable supervision. The legal provision defines the offence as below:
Those convicted of an offence of leaving a child without reasonable supervision may face a fine of up to RM20,000 or up to 5 years in jail or both. Furthermore, just like Section 31, the Court may also order the person to undergo community service.
The length of the community service may be between 36 and 246 hours in aggregate, to be performed within a period not exceeding 6 months from the date of the order and subject to certain conditions as specified by the Court.
Moreover, any person who fails to comply with the order of the Court to perform community service is deemed to have committed an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine of up to RM10,000.
None of the families and parents in the aforementioned instances were charged with any criminal offences.
Also read: Family Drives All the Way to KL Before Realising Their 2yo Was Left Behind at Restaurant in Raub
