Police in Malaysia are investigating a 19-year-old student after the body of a baby boy was allegedly hidden inside a locker at a hostel in Dungun, Terengganu.
According to Dungun district police chief Superintendent Nik Ab Halim Nik Mat, preliminary investigations found that the student had given birth in a toilet at an educational institution on Wednesday, 9 September.
The baby was believed to have been at around eight months’ gestation.
The exact cause and circumstances of the baby’s death have not yet been established publicly. The body was sent to Dungun Hospital for a post-mortem.
Baby’s Body Allegedly Placed in Bag and Locker
Police said their preliminary investigation found that the student allegedly wrapped the baby’s body in cloth before placing it inside a bag and keeping it in a hostel locker.
Authorities received a report about the discovery at around 10.48pm on Thursday, 10 September.
The case reportedly came to light after the student sought assistance from the management of a mosque to arrange the baby’s burial.
The mosque management subsequently contacted the educational institution, which led to the authorities becoming involved.
Bernama reported that police believed the baby had died around the time of the birth. Other Malaysian reports citing police described the student as having suffered a miscarriage, so the precise medical circumstances remain subject to the post-mortem examination.
Student Being Treated in Hospital
Nik Ab Halim said the 19-year-old student was receiving treatment at a hospital in Terengganu.
Police are obtaining statements from witnesses and examined the scene with assistance from the Terengganu police contingent’s forensic unit.
Police are also looking for the student’s boyfriend to obtain his statement as part of the investigation.
The case is being investigated under Section 318 of Malaysia’s Penal Code, which deals with intentionally concealing a birth through the secret disposal of a child’s body.
The offence carries a maximum sentence of two years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both.
As of the latest reports on 11 September, police had not announced the post-mortem findings or established the exact cause of the baby’s death.
