‘I will not forgive and will seek justice’ – Father of baby believed abused to death
He never imagined that a video call with his son, Hayl Haarith, on the night before the incident would be their last.
MARANG – A father’s joy of celebrating Hari Raya with his firstborn turned into a heartbreaking tragedy when his four-month-old baby boy died, believed to have been abused at a childcare centre.
Mohd Syafaeez Mat Liki, 35, said he never imagined that a video call with his son, Hayl Haarith, on the night before the incident would be their last before they parted forever.
He said his baby appeared cheerful that night before his wife, Ummu Habibah Wahab, 30, left for work as a nurse.
However, the situation turned tragic when he received a call from the childcare centre at about 4am informing him that his son was unconscious.
The devastating news was later confirmed by his wife at around 5.40am, when she informed him that their baby had died.
“Initially, I thought it was a natural death and there was nothing suspicious. But after the post-mortem, several suspicious injuries were found on the head, eyes, nose and the right side of the face.
“There was also a wound on the scalp that appeared to have been caused by a blunt object,” he said when met at the cemetery here on Tuesday.
Syafaeez, a trader based in Terengganu, stressed that he would never forgive those responsible for his child’s death.
“I will never forgive such an inhumane act and I vow to seek justice so that no other family has to go through the same tragedy,” he said.
He also expressed regret that he did not have the chance to take his wife and child shopping for new clothes ahead of the upcoming Aidilfitri celebration.
“I feel sad and disappointed because our plan to buy Hari Raya clothes together will never happen. I accept what has happened,” he said.
Hayl was laid to rest at the Kampung Kelulut and Rhu Redang Muslim Cemetery at about 10am on Tuesday.
Earlier, the media reported that a baby died after being found unconscious at a 24-hour childcare centre located within the compound of Hospital Seberang Jaya in Penang.
The case is currently under investigation after the baby’s family claimed that closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage from the childcare centre showed signs of abuse against the victim.
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