A nine-year-old girl is believed to have been a victim of neglect after allegedly being confined in a storage room behind a house in Taman Tuanku Jaafar here since May.
Seremban District Police Chief Assistant Commissioner Mohd Yatim Osman said police received a report on the incident at 7.22pm yesterday and immediately launched an investigation.
Preliminary investigations found that the victim, who had been adopted by a family at the age of one year and eight months, had been placed in an unlocked storage room behind the house throughout the school holiday period.
“The victim was given food only twice a day and was allowed into the house solely to use the toilet before being instructed to return to the storage room.
“Investigations also revealed that the victim was frequently scolded and beaten by her foster mother for minor offences, including allegedly stealing food at night,” he said in a statement today.
Mohd Yatim said the girl was found with scratch marks on her shoulder and right cheek.
“The victim was rescued by police at about 9.30pm and taken to Tuanku Jaafar Hospital.
“She is currently receiving treatment and remains warded at the hospital,” he said.
He added that a 46-year-old woman, believed to be the victim’s foster mother, was arrested on the same night to assist in the investigation.
“The case is being investigated under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001, and the suspect will be remanded at the Seremban Magistrate’s Court today to facilitate further investigations,” he said.
