JOHOR BARU, Feb 3 — Six people, including three children and a teenager, were found murdered with their skeletal remains in a burnt-down house at Kangkar Pulai, Johor, police confirmed.

Johor police chief Comm Datuk Ab Rahaman Arsad said the charred remains were discovered on January 9 by a 48-year-old man searching for his wife and children, who had been living in the house after the couple separated, according to a report published in The Star today.

The house, located within an oil palm plantation about 2km from the main road, had no water or electricity supply.

“Post-mortem examinations confirmed the victims were aged two, five, nine, 17, 29 and 35. Among them were one boy and three girls, none of whom were registered in any school,” he said.

Four suspects — three men and a woman aged between 19 and 35 — were arrested on January 21 in various locations around Iskandar Puteri. 

Ab Rahaman said they had no family connection to the victims but were friends who allegedly used drugs with one of the missing adults. 

Urine tests showed three of them tested positive for methamphetamine, and all had prior criminal records.

Investigation papers have been sent to the Johor Deputy Public Prosecutor’s Office. 

Two of the male suspects are set to be charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder at the Johor Baru Magistrates’ Court on February 4. 

The other two suspects have been released on police bail and are expected to testify as prosecution witnesses.