Tragedy as 'missing' baby found dead in babysitter's fridge

It was only yesterday (3 July) that 28-year-old Malaysian dad Mohd Sufi Naeif Mohd Fauzi lodged a police report about his missing five-month-old baby boy.

Reportedly, the babysitter told Mohd Sufi's wife that someone resembling him had picked up their baby from her house.

Restless and worried, the baby's father decided to upload a picture of his son on social media to gain more help while asking if anyone has seen him. 

Shock and Horror as Missing Baby Was Found Dead in the Fridge

The police decided to search the babysitter's home last night after they found inconsistencies in her statement. At 10.30pm last night, police went to the babysitter's house located in Taman Nakhoda, Batu Caves. 

It was here that the horrifying truth was unveiled. 

Left with no choice under questioning, the babysitter led police to where she had hidden the baby. The missing baby was found dead in the fridge, wrapped in a napkin and placed inside a green zipper bag.

The tiny body of Adam Rayqal Mohd Sufi had been stuffed in the freezer compartment of the babysitter's fridge. 

Gombak police Chief Assistant Commissioner Ali Ahmad said that the case has been classified as murder. Police arrested the 33-year-old babysitter and her 36-year-old housemate to facilitate investigations. 

As the latest updates were published in the local newspaper that the missing baby was found dead in the fridge, many have reached out to the parents on the father's post in social media to offer them condolences.

Our heart goes out to the parents for their loss. 

Laws for Child Care Centres and Caregivers

All child care centres require a license to operate in Malaysia. But there are still those who offer babysitting services quietly on the side.

These places are cheaper because they usually hire workers who have minimal experience in caring for a baby. Their staff have no background or any training in early childhood education. In fact, some may not even know first aid at all.

But those cheaper rates might appeal to smaller young families who are just starting out. Finances might be tight with rent and other matters.

They might be desperate to find someone to care for their child while they work and earn a living. This could be the reason why some families end up choosing an unregistered and unregulated child care centre. Laws might be there, but if there are no regular checks and no proper enforcement, situations like this can happen again.

In Singapore, all child care centres are governed by the Child Care Centres Act (Cap. 37A) and Child Care Centres Regulations (Cap. 37A, Section 19).

All child care centres MUST be licensed and they must comply with standards set out in the Regulations made under the Act, or any other requirements that may be specified by the Director of Social Welfare. 

But remember parents, despite laws being there to protect you, you still need to do your research and choose wisely. Yes, times are hard and things are expensive, but it shouldn't be at the cost of a precious life.

Source: NST

Read also: Child goes missing in Singapore, from childcare