Last Friday (9th November), Malaysians were horrified by news of an 11-month-old’s death after she was admitted at Serdang Hospital in critical condition two days earlier. The baby, named Zara, was believed to have suffered physical and sexual abuse by her babysitter’s husband.
According to Free Malaysia Today, Kajang police chief Ahmad Dzaffir Mohd Yussof said Zara’s mother sent her to the babysitter’s home on Thursday (8th November). He was quoted as saying,
“However, the victim was said to have suffered from shortness of breath in the afternoon and was rushed to the Bandar Baru Bangi Clinic before being referred to the Serdang Hospital.”
Source: Kosmo Online
Zara was reportedly sent to the hospital by the babysitter and her husband on Wednesday (7th November). Hospital staff then contacted the baby’s mother informing her that the 11-month-old was in critical condition. Zara’s mother was quoted by Utusan Online as saying,
“The caretaker had called me five times, but my phone was out of coverage range at the time.”
“Upon arriving at the hospital, I found the babysitter feeling very sorry, but her husband was just calm as if nothing had happened.”
“As long as Zara’s case is not settled, as long as the offender is not punished, I will not feel calm. My heart hurt so much when I saw Zara’s condition. I will leave it to the police to investigate and appropriately punish those responsible.”
Source: Kosmo Online
Doctors examined the baby and found tears in her hymen and anus, indicating that she was being sexually abused.
Zara’s death was reportedly due to a “blunt impact to the head”, as pathologists conducting the post-mortem found that her skull was fractured. She was also found to have had bruises on the top left and right sides of her head.
Soon after that, the babysitter and her husband were arrested. Urine tests found that the babysitter’s husband tested positive for methamphetamine. Meanwhile, the baby has already been buried in her parents’ hometown of Rantau Panjang, Kelantan on Saturday (10th November).
In light of this horrifying case, Women, Family and Community Development Deputy Minister Hannah Yeoh stated in Parliament today (12th November) that there were early signs of child abuse that the baby may have exhibited. Referring to Zara’s case, she was quoted by The Star as saying,
“In Zara’s case, the mother said that there were signs as her child would cry and get upset when she saw the babysitter’s husband. These are early symptoms or signs that parents can see or pick up.”
Source: Malay Mail
In response to this statement, Jelebu MP Datuk Jalaluddin Alias questioned if the 11-month-old’s parents should also be held accountable, as they could have been negligent. He stated,
“There were early symptoms of child abuse. I wish to know if the government will take action against the parents, as this is considered to be a form of negligence of the safety of their children. Such abuses do not happen in just a day but over a span of a week or two.”
What are your thoughts on this MP’s statement? Let us know in the comments below.
Also read: 3-Month-Old M’sian Baby Suffers Broken Arm After Nanny Allegedly Abused Him
