Baby girl found dead in pail of soapy water in Seremban

SEREMBAN - Police have confirmed that an 11-month-old baby girl died on Tuesday after she was found face down in a pail of soapy water in a house backyard at Jalan Sri Permata Ladang.

Seremban police chief ACP Mohd Yatim Osman said the department received a report on the incident at 7.22pm.

"During the incident, the victim was under the care of her grandmother from 9am while her parents were out at work. At about 2.30pm, the victim was asleep in a cradle while her grandmother was cooking and hanging up laundry. The elderly woman later noticed the baby was missing from the cradle.

"A search was conducted and the victim was found face down in a pail containing a small amount of soapy water, with her head submerged," he said in a statement yesterday.

He said the victim was taken to a nearby clinic before being referred to Hospital Tuanku Ja'afar, where a medical officer confirmed her death at 4.30pm.

He said a post-mortem was conducted early this morning and the exact cause of death will be determined after laboratory test results are obtained.

Yatim said following the incident, the police detained a 54-year-old local woman to assist in investigations under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 for alleged abuse, neglect, abandonment or exposure of a child in a manner likely to cause physical or emotional injury.

Members of the public with information about the incident are requested to contact the investigating officer, Insp Sinniah Rajoo, at 06-6033222 to assist in the investigation. - BERNAMA