BUTTERWORTH, Jan 16 — Police rescued a seven-year-old girl believed to have been left alone for several days without food and locked in a room of a house in Sungai Dua here yesterday.
Seberang Perai Utara police chief ACP Abdul Rahman Ibrahim said the Standard One pupil was weak with a mix of hunger and fatigue when found by the police.
He said police received a report from a teacher, who expressed worries over the physical condition of the girl who appeared weak and disorganised when she came to school last Monday.
“Acting upon the report, police went to the house and had to locate the girl’s father first to get the keys to open the front door of the house, which has no water or power supply.
“It was dark inside and the house was so unkempt and when we found the poor girl, she was too weak and only asked for food,” he said.
Rahman said initial investigation found several bruises on the girl’s upper arms and thighs and she was then taken to Seberang Jaya Hospital for further examination.
He said the girl’s 34-year-old father, who works as a pump attendant at a petrol station here, had been detained to facilitate investigations.
It was learnt that the girl had been staying alone in the house, while her father and her stepmother, along with their five children, were living in a house opposite hers.
The man and the girl’s biological mother were said to have divorced soon after the girl was born.
Meanwhile, Penang Social Welfare Department (JKM) director Dr Zaitol Salleh, when contacted, said the department had received a report on the case and she had instruct her officer to get detailed information about the girl.
“Investigations will be carried out and JKM protection officer will go to the hospital to monitor her situation. We will ensure that she has fully recovered before taking any further action,” she said, adding that the JKM would also seek temporary protection order for the girl.
Meanwhile, in BALIK PULAU, Deputy Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya said medical examination done on the girl showed that she was weak due to malnutrition.
“Besides suffering from malnutrition, the girl also psychologically disturbed and afraid of people. Maybe she was traumatised by the whole incident.
“According to the doctor who examined her, there are old and new bruises on her body,” he told reporters after presenting schooling aid to students at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Seri Balik Pulau here. — Bernama
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