17-Month-Old Baby Dies After Head Submerged In Sink During Bath, Babysitter Arrested

A 17-month-old baby girl in Malaysia died a day after her head was accidentally submerged in a bathroom sink during her bath.

The incident took place Tuesday in the town of Penang. According to preliminary investigation, the child was with her babysitter on the day of the incident, media outlet The Star reported.

The 43-year-old babysitter had filled the sink almost to the brim to give the baby a bath. After placing the baby in the sink, the woman realized she had forgotten the towel, and went out of the bathroom to fetch it.

"But when the caregiver got back to the bathroom, she found the victim's head had gone underwater with almost half her body submerged and the feet outside the basin. The babysitter immediately removed the child from the basin and found that she was still conscious. She changed the toddler and let her sleep," a local police officer, identified as Supt A. Anbalagan, told The Star.

After 30 minutes, the babysitter went to check on the baby and saw that she was weak and in an unresponsive state.

"She then called an ambulance for help, and at the same time tried to perform CPR on the girl," he said.

The toddler was rushed to the Penang Hospital in a critical state. Doctors said the reason for the baby's condition was drowning. The baby died the next day.

Authorities said the baby's body was sent for an autopsy, which was scheduled to take place Thursday. Anbalagan added there were no witnesses to the drowning.

On Wednesday, police arrested the babysitter, who was charged with Section 31 (1) (a) of the Children's Act 2001 for negligence leading to harm.

Last year, a babysitter in South Carolina was arrested after a 2-year-old boy died of a possible drowning. The child was found face down in a backyard swimming pool, following which he was transported to a hospital where he was declared dead. The police said the toddler's babysitter, Stefanie Johnson, is facing charges for unlawful conduct toward a child. Paramedics, who were at the scene, said they saw bruises on the child’s forehead and lips.