GEORGE TOWN: Many people were horrified to learn of an 18-year old college student, who had allegedly flung her newly born baby girl out from the family apartment’s back window on the 13th floor in Farlim, here on Friday.
The body of the infant was discovered in the parking lot on the fourth floor by a neighbour, covered in blood from the impact of the fall, at about 8.30am.
Police are seeking the help of a psychologist to assess the teen’s condition and intention.
The psychologist’s input is valuable in the investigation, said northeast district police head Asst Comm Soffian Santong.
The case has been classified as first degree murder following Section 302 of the Penal Code for now, punishable by the death sentence.
Earlier, police were authorised to remand the teen for six days, along with her boyfriend, also aged 18, who is unemployed.
The student is currently warded at the Penang Hospital, awaiting psychiatric evaluation.
The girl will also receive counselling from the hospital.
In the initial investigation, the girl revealed that she was awakened at 6am by a seriously tummy upset. She said she went to the bathroom with the intention to ease herself.
To her horror, she realised that she had given birth when an infant slipped out into the toilet bowl.
The girl panicked, cut the umbilical cord before disposing the baby by throwing the child off the back window of the apartment in which she resides with her family.
State health committee chairperson Dr Norlela Ariffin said that the state will seek a detailed report on the incident to ascertain if the teenage student was suffering from mental stress and if she had attempted to seek help.
The state is also keen to find out if the suspect was also suffering from stress due to the prolonged movement control order restrictive conditions, which was warranted in the country’s aim to fight the Covid-19 global pandemic.
