Babysitters Accused Of Kicking, Stepping On 2 Toddlers Under Their Care

Three people, including a babysitter couple, were taken into custody Friday in Malaysia for allegedly abusing two toddler brothers under their care.

The police said the two victims are aged two and three. The husband and wife, as well as their teenage niece were held after a complaint was filed, Free Malaysia Today reported. Johor police chief Datuk Pitchay confirmed the incident that took place at a house in Taman Bukit Kempas.

“Based on the information, police arrested the husband and wife, between the ages of 37 and 57, as well as their teenage niece who is still a minor,” he said Saturday. “The suspects allegedly abused the victims by kicking, hitting and stepping on them at around 3 pm on June 10, and police believe this is not the first incident."

The toddlers' parents – who work as a cook and a factory operator – had been sending the children to the babysitters' house since 2018.

“Medical checks at Sultanah Aminah Hospital found both victims have soft tissue injuries and are being treated at the same hospital,” he added.

The officer said the couple have been taken into custody for seven days until July 23, while the other suspect, due to her age, was being remanded for three days until July 19, the Star reported. The case is being investigated under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001.

In May, a man in Malaysia was charged in connection with the sexual assault and murder of a 9-month-old child, who was under his wife’s care. The babysitter's husband sodomized the infant and suffocated the baby to death using his hands. An autopsy revealed there were lacerations and tear marks on the infant’s anus. The injury is believed to be caused due to the insertion of a blunt object. There were also bruises around the baby’s mouth. "The cause of death was because his mouth was cupped until he suffocated," police officer Mohamad Hamid said at the time. "The results of the urine screening test on both suspects showed that they tested positive for methamphetamine."