ISKANDAR PUTERI, Johor: A five-year-old kindergarten pupil in Taman Bukit Indah here has died after being found unconscious in a parked school van, where he was allegedly left alone for several hours.
Iskandar Puteri Police Chief, ACP M. Kumarasan, stated that the child is believed to have been left behind since approximately 7:30 am, when the driver dropped off other children at the school.
The boy was found unresponsive around noon and later pronounced dead.
His body has been sent to Sultanah Aminah Hospital for a post-mortem examination.
“Police have arrested a 56-year-old man, identified as the van driver, in connection with the incident.
“He was detained at 2:40 pm yesterday in the same neighbourhood,” he said in a statement today.
Kumarasan added that the suspect has no prior criminal record and a urine test returned negative for drugs.
He is currently being held on remand for seven days under Section 117 of the Criminal Procedure Code, until May 7.
The case is being investigated under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001, which pertains to negligence or endangerment of a child.
If convicted, the offender could face a fine of up to RM50,000, a prison term of up to 20 years, or both. – BERNAMA
