Eight held over death of girl, 3
BUKIT MERTAJAM, Aug 6 — A three-year-old girl died when eight members of a family including an Indonesian maid carried out a ritual by suppressing her body in Bukit Minyak here last night.
Seberang Perai Tengah police chief ACP Azman Abd Lah said the 10pm incident was discovered by an uncle of the victim who had gone to the house by coincidence.
“The witness, who became suspicious that the main door of the house was not locked, immediately went to the first floor of the house where the master bedroom was located.
“When the uncle found that room door was locked and the people inside refused to open the door, he immediately informed the police about it,” he told reporters here today.
Azman said police had to break open the door shortly after arrival at the house and found that the girl was being suppressed by all the suspects.
He said preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects, aged between 16 and 67, were performing a ritual.
“Police believe the child died shortly before they arrived because the body was still warm and the cause of death was believed to be suffocation,” he said.
He said that the suspects, comprising the mother, father, grandmother, uncle, two cousins and the housemaid, had been remanded for five days beginning today to assist in the investigation. — Bernama
