By RSN MURALI
MELAKA: Two cases of concealment of birth have been uncovered in the state this year, including one where the skeletal remains of a baby were found buried in Alor Gajah district, said Melaka police.
State police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Dzulkhairi Mukhtar said the first case surfaced following a report lodged at about 6.11am on March 25.
He said police were informed that a young woman had allegedly given birth alone in August last year before the baby was handed over to her lover.
"The infant was later believed to have died and was subsequently buried in front of an unoccupied house in Kelemak in Alor Gajah,” he said on Wednesday (May 6)
DCP Dzulkhairi waid his men detained five individuals, aged between 16 and 40, on the same day to assist investigations.
"Four of them are family members and all the suspects have no prior criminal records and tested negative for drugs.
"They have since been released on police bail,” he said.
DCP Dzulkhairi said follow-up investigations led to the recovery of skeletal remains believed to be that of the baby, which is estimated to have been buried several months earlier.
He said the case is being investigated under Section 318 of the Penal Code for concealment of birth by secret disposal of a dead body.
In the second case, DCP Dzulkhairi said police received a report from a medical officer at Hospital Melaka at about 6.50pm on April 25 involving a 17-year-old girl who was admitted for treatment.
He said the girl was believed to have suffered complications involving a pregnancy of about 22 weeks.
“The patient later informed that the foetus was not alive and had been buried by her boyfriend at an undisclosed location,” he said.
DCP Dzulkhairi said police arrested an 18-year-old youth on the same night, while the girl was detained on Tuesday (May 5) after she was discharged from hospital.
"Both suspects have no prior records and tested negative for drugs,” he said.
He said investigations revealed that the couple had allegedly planned to terminate the pregnancy.
“The male suspect had taken the foetus from the girl’s home and temporarily concealed it in a vehicle parked at his house,” he said.
“The male suspect will be charged under Section 318 of Penal Code while the female suspect will be charged under Section 315, for causing the death of a newborn baby.
"All the suspects are expected to be charged at the Ayer Keroh court on Friday (May 8),” he added.
Source: two-cases-of-concealing-babys-birth-uncovered-in-melaka-say-cops
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