IPOH, Aug 19 — A young Orang Asli girl reported missing on Friday was found dead in a swampy area in the Orang Asli settlement of Kampung Bersah, Pos Kuala Mu in Sungai Siput on Saturday.
Sungai Siput police chief Supt Mohd Khaizam Ahmad Shahabudin said the body of Nuraina Humaira Rosli, 10, who had hearing issues, was found at about 4.20 pm by the search and rescue team who had conducted a search after getting the missing person report at 1.30 am on Saturday.
The team comprised personnel from the Fire and Rescue Department, Royal Malaysia Police, and villagers.
"We found the victim's body in a swampy area near the settlement. Initially, we classified the case as a missing person, but after the body was found and death was confirmed by Sungai Siput Hospital at 7 pm, we reclassified it as a sudden death.
However, in a new development yesterday, police have reclassified the sudden death report to Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.
Mohd Khaizam Ahmad Shahabudin said that the reclassification followed preliminary post-mortem results, which indicated that the victim died from neck trauma, including injuries to her private parts.
“Investigations at the scene and the post-mortem findings revealed signs of criminal elements on the victim’s body, as indicated by the pathologist in the report we received this (Sunday) afternoon.
“Police also do not rule out the possibility that the girl, found dead in the swampy area, may have been raped before being murdered. It is also possible that the victim was murdered elsewhere and then moved to where her body was discovered,” he said at a press conference, today.
Mohd Khaizam said following this development, police have arrested a 17-year-old male suspect to assist with the investigation.
“The suspect is also a close relative who knew the victim. We apprehended him at around 5 pm yesterday, at his residence.
“Police will present the suspect at the Sungai Siput Magistrate’s Court tomorrow (Monday), to obtain a remand order to facilitate the investigation. We have also summoned several witnesses to provide statements," he said.
— Bernama
