Police detain man suspected of abusing stepson

SEREMBAN, June 14 — Police have arrested a man on suspicion of abusing his two-year-old stepson here yesterday.

Seremban district police chief ACP Mohd Yatim Osman said police received a report on the incident from the child's biological mother at about 8.30pm before arresting the 24-year-old suspect in front of Tuanku Ja'afar Hospital (HTJ) about two hours later.

"Preliminary investigations found that the incident occurred inside a car occupied by the victim, his mother, who is in her 20s, and his stepfather at a petrol station along the Seremban-Jelebu road.

"Investigations also revealed that the victim had allegedly been repeatedly assaulted by the man, who works as a delivery rider, resulting in injuries while at the family's home in Jalan Rasah here on previous occasions,” he said in a statement today.

He said a physical examination of the victim found reddish bruising on the front and back of the body, believed to have been caused by pinching. The child is currently receiving treatment at HTJ.

Mohd Yatim said the couple had only recently married, tying the knot in April this year.

Meanwhile, he said checks found that the man had no prior criminal record and had tested negative in a preliminary urine screening.

He said the suspect has been remanded for seven days until June 20 to facilitate investigations under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001. — Bernama