PETALING JAYA, Feb 5 — A security guard who caused the death of his 22-year-old stepdaughter by abusing her lied to police that she had a fall during the Thaipusam festival at Batu Caves last month in order to avoid raising suspicion.
The stepfather, aged 38, told police the injuries on the victim's face was due to the fall she had, hoping that police would not suspect she was abused by him.
Petaling Jaya police chief ACP Mohd Zani Che Din said the stepfather's lies were uncovered when an initial cause of death report suggested that the victim, Kristian Arjunan, died due to strangulation and blunt force trauma on her chest and abdomen.
Zani said the incident unfolded when the victim allegedly collapsed in the bathroom in their home in Kelana Jaya on Jan 26 and was rushed to Sungai Buloh Hospital by her stepfather at 9.30pm.
“The victim died several hours later at the hospital and the stepfather told doctors that she suffered from epilepsy since she was a child.
“When asked about injuries on her body, he told the doctors that she had a fall in Batu Caves,” he said.Zani said police became suspicious of the stepfather and the victim's mother, aged 46, as they kept changing their story when their statements were recorded.
“We arrested the couple on January 28 when the initial cause of death report from the hospital was released and doctors confirmed that there were criminal elements,” he said.
Police also raided the couple's home and seized a black-metal rod from the home where the alleged abuse took place.
“We believe the metal rod was used in the abuse. Investigations also revealed the victim was beaten inside the stepfather's car recently,” he said.
The victim lived together with her parents, grandmother as well as an elder brother and sister.
Zani said the couple will be charged at Shah Alam court today.
In another case, a five year-old girl who was abused by her drug addict mother is reported to be in stable condition at Seberang Jaya Hospital.
State deputy police chief Datuk A. Thaiveegan said the victim was still receiving treatment and would be placed under the care of the Welfare Department or her grandparents.
“Both her parents are drug addicts and most probably, she will be placed under the Welfare Department (JKM) first,” he said.
On Tuesday, a neighbour lodged a police report after she saw scars and other injuries all over the child’s body.
The mother and daughter moved into the house in Kampung Manis, Perai, a month ago and neighbours claimed the woman would turn up the volume of her radio while abusing her daughter.The mother, aged 41, was arrested on the same day and tested positive for drugs.
Investigations revealed the mother had beaten her daughter because she had refused to study.
The girl had injuries on her neck and left eye, two broken teeth and scratches on her hands.
JKM department director Said Sidup said his department would seek a court order to temporarily take care of the child.“After she has been discharged, she will be placed at a children's home in Taman Bakti, Kepala Batas, under the supervision of JKM before we can allow her family members to take her,” he said.
He said the department would prepare a report and suggest the best caretaker among her family members to take care of her later.
“But it all depends on the court to decide, we will do our part to submit the documents to the court,” he added. MALAY MAIL ONLINE
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