KOTA BHARU: What began as a joyride turned tragic yesterday in Kampung Tok Belian, Bachok, when a three-wheeled motorcycle, ridden by a 12-year-old boy with five other children, fell into an irrigation canal, resulting in the drowning of a 13-month-old baby girl.
Bachok district police chief Superintendent Mohamad Ismail Jamaluddin said the 7.20 pm incident was believed to have occurred when the children were on their way back to their homes in the village.
According to him, as they were crossing a bridge, the boy lost control of the motorcycle, causing all of the children to fall into the irrigation canal.
“During the incident, it is believed that the 15-month-old toddler was being held by her eight-year-old brother,” he said in a statement today.
Mohamad Ismail said the other five children were rescued by villagers.
He added that the baby was found by firemen from the Bachok station at 8.10 pm, about four metres from the scene, during the search and rescue operation.
Mohamad Ismail said the body was later taken to the Forensic Unit of Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia Kubang Kerian for an autopsy.
He said that preliminary investigations revealed the motorcycle had an expired road tax and was uninsured.
The case is being investigated under Section 31(1) of the Child Act 2001 and Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.
