KUALA LUMPUR: An Indonesian domestic helper has been sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to neglecting a two-year-old boy who later drowned in an adult swimming pool at a residential complex in Sentul.
Sessions Court Judge Suhaila Haron sentenced Wahyuni Tanjung, 44, to four years’ imprisonment, effective from the date of her arrest on July 29.
Wahyuni was charged under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 for neglecting a child under her care, resulting in his death.
The offence took place between 6pm and 7pm on July 28 at an adult swimming pool in a residential complex in Sentul. The law provides for a fine of up to RM50,000, imprisonment of up to 20 years, or both upon conviction.
According to the facts presented in court, the victim’s mother had asked Wahyuni, who had been working as the family’s domestic helper for about a month, to take the two-year-three-month-old boy and his five-year-old brother to the swimming pool.
At around 7pm, Wahyuni contacted the boy’s mother and told her that the child had drowned. A member of the public subsequently performed CPR on the boy before he was rushed to Selayang Hospital.
The child was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit but was pronounced dead at about 4am the following morning.
A post-mortem conducted by the Kuala Lumpur Hospital Forensic Department confirmed that the cause of death was consistent with drowning.
Investigations found that Wahyuni had taken both children to the adult swimming pool without swimming aids, despite knowing that neither child could swim. She also left the children unattended while she went to the toilet.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Md Subri Hashim urged the court to impose a sentence that would serve as a lesson to the accused and others entrusted with caring for children.
He told the court that Wahyuni should not have left the children without proper supervision, particularly given her responsibility as their caregiver.
The court also heard that the offence had resulted in the death of a young child who should have had the opportunity to live a longer life.
Wahyuni, who was not represented by a lawyer, became emotional when shown photographs from the victim’s post-mortem report.
She did not appeal for a lighter sentence but told the court that her husband had died 14 years ago and that she has a 16-year-old son living in Indonesia.
