MELAKA - A 12-year-old girl was discovered crying and frightened in a bush near her school in her underwear, after an unidentified man allegedly molested her, last Wednesday.
The victim, a Year Six pupil, was reported missing after she was absent from her extra classes, following the end of the school day at 1.05pm.
A search by teachers and a review of the school’s closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage showed the girl leaving the school compound at around midday.
She was eventually found by her family around 7pm and taken to Melaka Hospital for further examination.
According to a source, the girl initially left the school after spotting a car she thought belonged to her mother.
"However, upon approaching the vehicle, she realised the driver was an unknown man and moved away," the source said.
The situation escalated when the man began chasing the girl who was terrified.
The source detailed the encounter, stating that the victim was shocked when the man chased her, forcing her to run towards the nearby bush to hide.
The suspect eventually found her in the undergrowth.
"The suspect managed to find the victim before asking her to remove her clothes and is also suspected of touching her cheek and taking several pictures of her before leaving the location," the source added.
Melaka police chief Datuk Dzulkhairi Mukhtar confirmed the incident, stating the case is being investigated under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017.