THE year 2022 has certainly not been kind to parents whose hearts and souls were stolen from them at a young age.
There is certainly no denying that being parents are the biggest blessing in the world and to have the children in their arms. However, life does not prepare them to face the fact that their children would be snatched away from them in unfortunate circumstances.
Here are three cases reported involving the deaths of children at a young age in Sarawak, which have caught the attention of ministries, politicians and the general public throughout Malaysia on various social media platforms.
They are the cases of four-year-old Eric Chang Wei Jie allegedly killed by his caretakers; seven-year-old Mohammad Adami Mokhtar attacked by a crocodile; and a three-month-old baby girl died in her mother’s arms at a bus stop.
Eric Chang, 4
On March 7, Eric or nickname ‘Duck Duck’ was reported missing by his mother Dynasty Chang, from a house at Lorong 2, Taman Riverview in Kuching.
Prior to Eric’s disappearance, his mother sent him to a friend’s house on Feb 21 for care taking as she needed to undergo a medical procedure.
Later, on March 11, police brought in four individuals to facilitate investigations into the case namely, Chang, her husband, the caretaker and her husband.
Two days later (March 13), Kuching district police chief ACP Ahsmon Bajah said Eric is believed to have been murdered by his caretakers and his body dumped in a polystyrene box into Muara Tebas waters.
The case was reclassified under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder after it was originally classified Section 31(1) of the Child Act 2001 for ill-treatment, neglect, abandonment, or exposure of children.
Eric’s parents were released while, the caretaker and her husband, 37-year-old Wendy and 51-year-old Ling, were jointly accused of intentionally killing Eric.
A search operation was later carried out from March 13 to 19 and within the week of the search, authorities had to call off the operation after failing to locate any clues regarding the whereabouts of Eric.
To date, there is still no word as to where Eric’s body might be. No parent should have a child go missing forever, and – God forbid – have to bury a child.
Mohammad Adami Mokhtar, 7
On May 21, Adami, 7, was reported missing at Kampung Nyabut, Telaga Air in Kuching after a giant crocodile measuring about six metres long snatched him from the riverbank.
Prior to the attack at 8.30 am, the boy was playing with his two sisters by the riverbank while their 48-year-old grandmother was keeping an eye on them, just a few metres from where they were.
Adami was said to be crouching on the high ground of the riverbank before the reptile jumped out of the river and snatched him into the waters.
The grandmother was alerted of the incident by the two sisters aged 11 and 12, and authorities were roped in for further search and rescue assistance.
A seven-day search was conducted from May 21 to 27 to locate the missing boy or the reptile to retrieve the body.
But it turned out fruitless as there were no clues regarding where the boy is and the operation was called off following discussions with the police.
The search was later handed over to the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) and Samarahan Crocodile Hunters (SCH) to continue the search for the reptile.
Legal actions can be taken by parents or guardians who lost their child to criminals in an unfortunate incident. However, one could not possibly imagine how painful and saddening losing a child to wildlife can be without anyone to take the fall.
Unnamed infant, 3 months
On December 4, a mother and her baby’s bus trip from Sarikei to Kuching for medical treatment, did not go according to plan after her three-month-old baby stopped breathing at a bus stop in Jelukong, Sri Aman.
The baby was then taken to Betong Hospital but was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.
Physical and radiology examinations were conducted on the baby.
However, no post-mortem was performed following discussions between the police, the baby’s family and the hospital.
The family then took the body home to be buried at the longhouse cemetery in Ulu Pakan, Sarikei.
A video showing the mother holding and kissing her baby on the head as if to bid goodbye, went viral on social media on December 5 and drew a great deal of attention from the public, politicians and the Ministry of Health (MoH) at federal and state levels.
Sarawak Health Department (JKNS) director Dr Ooi Choo Huck in a statement on December 9, said they are trying to reach out to the baby’s parents to get more information pertaining to the case.
The parents were requested to contact the health department as soon as possible to assist with the investigation.
The case as well as the cause of death is still being investigated and has yet to be determined.
Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii Lee Wuen in reference to the Jelukong baby case, said it best that “No baby in a country with supposed universal healthcare coverage, should die in its mother’s arms on the way to hospital”.
