PETALING JAYA: A forensic pathologist today testified that Zayn Rayyan Abdul Matin had died of ligature strangulation and had multiple wounds on his ears, some extending to the back of his head, as well as on his anus.

Medicine forensic consultant specialist Dr Rohayu Shahar Adnan, who headed the Sungai Buloh Hospital Forensic Medicine Department, had carried out a post-mortem on the 6-year-old, who is believed to have been killed, at noon on Dec 7, 2023,

The procedure was conducted in the presence of investigating officer Assistant Superintendent Mohd Nasir Mustapha.

The 54-year-old expert said the body of the boy, who has autism, was 119cm tall and weighed 17.2 kilogrammes.

It was clad in his school uniform with diapers, and had blunt and sharp trauma wounds, including strangulation marks on the neck.

"The blunt trauma wounds were bruises on the forehead, the upper and lower lips, the back of the head, jaws, neck, back right shoulder, between the shoulder blades, back, chest, abdomen, right side of the body, as well as both forearms. Both eyes were also swollen.

"The sharp trauma wounds were cuts on his left ear, stab wounds and incised wounds at the back of the left ear until the back of the head on the left, incised wounds on the back of the head on the right, incised wounds on the upper right arm and cuts on right forearm.

"These blunt and sharp trauma wounds are not deadly, but were signs of physical abuse on the deceased. There were no defensive wounds or offensive wounds (punching or kicking) seen.

"There were overlapping strangulation marks found 6cm under the right and left ear, and they were horizontal. The strangulation can happen with any object that can be formed, like a string, a lanyard or a piece of cloth.

"The neck muscle and thyroid glands under these strangulation marks were also bruised.