3-Year-Old Child Dies After Being Allegedly Abused By Father's Friend, Housekeeper

A 3-year-old child died Monday in Malaysia after being allegedly abused by his father's friend and their housekeeper.

The incident took place at the home of an unidentified 28-year-old man, who was the victim's father, Johor police chief Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat told the Star news.

The victim's father had asked his friend to watch his two children, including the victim. The accused had been taking care of the children for the past three months.

"The victim's father, who works in Singapore and his mother who works in Yong Peng, left their two children at the friend's house with a payment of RM2,800 ($600) a month.

"Initial investigations revealed that there were several injuries on the victim's body, as well as bruises and a few cuts," Mamat said at a press conference.

However, the exact cause of death can be known only after an autopsy is conducted.

Mamat said preliminary investigation revealed that the male suspect had several criminal records. The man and the housekeeper -- an Indonesian woman in her 40s -- were arrested Tuesday.

"We will record statements from several parties, and will also look at closed circuit camera (CCTV) footage," Mamat said, according to the Sun Daily.

An investigation is underway to determine the exact date of the assault. The reason behind the abuse remains unknown. The charges placed against the two accused have not been revealed.

Authorities also said the victim's 1-year-old younger sibling did not suffer any injuries. The gender of the second child has not been revealed.

The victim's body was taken to the Sultanah Aminah Hospital for autopsy.

Mamat told the community parents must be careful with who they leave their children with.

"This incident is a tragedy, because the victim is a young child who is growing up, he said. "Children at that age should be looked after and fed well and not treated like this. The police will be firm to ensure that guilty parties are brought to justice."

In a recent incident in Egypt, a father tortured and killed his 3-year-old daughter for opening the refrigerator without his permission. The man first severely beat up the child and then set fire to parts of her body. The accused's wife, who is the victim's stepmother, told the police that her husband physically assaulted his daughter as punishment. The accused was taken into custody and, during questioning, he admitted to the abuse.