KUCHING: Police apprehended an 18-year-old boy today (Dec 2) as part of the investigation into the abandonment of a baby in the bushes of Bandar Baru Semariang.
Kuching District police chief ACP Ahsmon Bajah confirmed the arrest, stating that the teenager, suspected to be linked with the teenage girl believed to be the baby’s mother, was taken into custody around 11.05am in the Kuching area.
“The suspect will be investigated under Section 376 of the Penal Code,” he said in a statement today.
Previously, there was a report of a 14-year-old teenage girl, presumed to be the mother of the abandoned baby discovered in the residential bushes of Samariang on Wednesday around 8pm.
Ahsmon had earlier stated that the suspect was apprehended right after the finding of the baby, who still had the umbilical cord attached, at around 9 am.
He indicated that the investigation of the case falls under Section 317 of the Penal Code, which entails a potential imprisonment of up to seven years, a fine, or both.
The police received a report about the discovery of a baby girl by the public and promptly dispatched officers to the location. Upon arrival, it was found that the baby was still alive and in good health.
The baby was then taken to Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) for further examination and will be referred to the Department of Social Welfare for further action.
