GEORGE TOWN, Dec 31 — The police here are hunting for the parents of a child found with burns on the right side of her body.
The father of the eight-year-old is suspected of pouring hot water on the child last Thursday night, scalding her right arm and torso.
The girl, who is the second of four siblings, was found with untreated burns on her body at her home in Kampung Melayu by a neighbour, Mohd Azlan Jamiyathulla Khan.
North-east district police chief ACP Che Zaimani Che Awang said Mohd Azlan heard of the incident from another neighbour and decided to check on girl on Friday.
“He found her with burns on her body so he brought her to the Air Itam police station to lodge a police report,” he said.
He said the girl was immediately sent to Penang Hospital for treatment.
“The doctor confirmed that she suffered mid-dermal burns of about 3 per cent and she is now under treatment at the burn unit,” he said.
The police believe that the girl’s father was punishing her as he suspected her of stealing RM10 from her mother.
“According to Mohd Azlan, who lives in the same neighbourhood, the girl and her siblings were often neglected and left to roam the neighbourhood without adult supervision,” he said.
The girl has three brothers aged between nine and three years.
He said the parents have since fled their flat and have not turn up for work since that day.
“We are now tracing their whereabouts,” he said.
The police are investigating the case under Section 31(1) (a) of the Child Act 2001 for child abuse.
