Home owner in abuse case wants children back from welfare dept
KUALA LUMPUR: The owner of welfare home Rumah Bonda, which was implicated in the alleged abuse of a Down Syndrome child, has sought to set aside a court order granting temporary custody of her five adopted children to the welfare department (JKM). Siti Bainun Ahd Razali contended that she was…
KUALA LUMPUR: The owner of welfare home Rumah Bonda, which was implicated in the alleged abuse of a Down Syndrome child, has sought to set aside a court order granting temporary custody of her five adopted children to the welfare department (JKM).
Siti Bainun Ahd Razali contended that she was not given the right to submit when the custody order was issued on July 16.
Her lawyer, Nur A’minahtul Mardiah Md Nor, said the children’s biological mother had handed over her five children, aged two to 14, to Bainun previously.
“The court fixed Sept 14 for JKM to submit,” she said, after the proceedings in the magistrates’ court today.
A’minahtul said the court granted several interim orders today for Bainun pending the Sept 14 hearing.
They included access to talk to her children on video call, as well as access to provide the children, who need special milk, medication and diapers.
Siti Bainun was arrested on July 16 to facilitate investigations into an abuse case involving a Down Syndrome child called Bella.
Police opened investigation papers under Section 323 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt and Section 506 of the Penal Code for criminal intimidation in the alleged child abuse case.
It was reported that all investigation papers had been submitted to the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC).
Her legal team maintained that Bella was not abused by her at any point in time.
The authorities attempted to remand Siti Bainun but the application was turned down by the court.
Bella was found with burn marks on her chest, hands, neck and thighs on July 6 after allegedly being a victim of abuse at a condominium unit in Wangsa Maju, which was being used as a welfare home.
The home was also found to have been operating illegally since 2019 and had not registered with the welfare department.
Bella was placed under the care of Taman Sinar Harapan Tuanku Ampuan Najihah, Seremban, since 2011 before being transferred to a welfare home owned by an NGO as an adopted child in 2020. — Free Malaysia Today