PETALING JAYA: What appeared to be routine family disputes has evolved into a murder investigation following the discovery of a young boy’s remains in Pahang, weeks after he was reported missing from Johor.
Speaking to The Star, 47-year-old resident, Kamarudin Abdullah, who lives in the same Seri Alam neighbourhood as the victim’s family, revealed that disturbing sounds frequently emanated from the household.
“We regularly heard shouting matches between the parents, loud enough for the entire street to notice. There was also the sound of a child weeping during these incidents,“ Kamarudin explained during an interview with the English daily on Tuesday.
The neighbour described the family as reclusive, with the father avoiding social interaction with other residents and communicating only when absolutely necessary.
“Learning about the boy’s death came as a complete shock to all of us,“ he added.
According to Kamarudin, several family members and relatives visited the property on Monday evening but departed within hours.
He noted that the couple had been absent from their residence for approximately one month, appearing only sporadically and never together.
“None of us had seen the child for several weeks before this tragedy unfolded,“ he stated, mentioning that the family had relocated to the area roughly twelve months earlier.
An inspection of the property revealed it to be completely vacant, with an unlocked front gate and no signs of occupancy.
The case began when a 36-year-old man contacted authorities claiming his son had vanished from a coffee shop in Bukit Indah. However, the man was subsequently detained for seven days after investigators discovered the child’s body in Rompin, Negeri Sembilan.
Iskandar Puteri district police chief Assistant Commissioner M. Kumarasan reportedly confirmed the father’s arrest on July 24, with remand extended until Thursday to facilitate the investigation.
“The suspect filed his report at approximately 2.15am on July 24, alleging his son disappeared the previous day after being left unattended in a parked vehicle at Bukit Indah,“ Kumarasan explained.
The suspect claimed he had briefly left the child in the car around 6pm on July 23 to purchase food, discovering the boy missing upon his return.
Initial investigations proceeded under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001, focussing on child neglect charges.
However, continued investigation led authorities to the discovery of a child’s remains in Rompin, located over 200 kilometres from where the initial report was filed.
“Evidence gathered during interrogation suggests the discovered remains belong to the missing child,“ ACP Kumarasan stated.
The investigation has been transferred to Jempol district police headquarters in Negri Sembilan for further examination.
READ ALSO: Father remanded for 7 days over son’s death in Negeri Sembilan
Authorities have confirmed that the suspect now faces additional charges for filing a fraudulent police report, with investigations proceeding under Section 182 of the Penal Code.
