SHAH ALAM: The magistrate's court has ordered that the younger brother of the late Zayn Rayyan Abdul Matiin be placed under the interim care of a paternal grandaunt for two months, beginning today and continuing until Oct 4.
Magistrate Muhammad Syafiq Sulaiman made the ruling following the conclusion of the five-year-old boy's placement with the Welfare Department.
The decision came after an hour-long closed-door session involving lawyer Nurul Ikrimah Mohd Raya, representing the boy's family, as well as the children's court advisor and the Welfare Department.
Under the court's order, the paternal grandaunt will oversee the boy's care with several conditions.
The parents are permitted to visit the boy once a week for eight hours, accompanied by the grandaunt.
They are also allowed unlimited video calls and may accompany the boy to his monthly autism therapy sessions.
Additionally, the grandaunt must inform the Welfare Department if she plans to take the boy out.
At the court complex, the boy's parents and grandfather, Zahari Mohd Reba, were present.
Last month, the Welfare Department's director Azmir Kassim said that the boy would remain in the department's care until a suitable guardian is found.
On June 13, the parents of Zayn Rayyan were jointly charged at the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court with neglect of their six-year-old son which may have caused him physical injury last year.
Zaim Ikhwan Zahari and Ismanira Abdul Manaf, both aged 29, were charged as persons having the care of Zayn Rayyan, had neglected him in a manner likely to cause him physical injury.
They committed the offence between noon on Dec 5 and about 9.55pm on Dec 6 around the area of Jalan PJU 10/1 in Damansara Damai.
The charge was under Section 31 (1)(a) of the Child Act 2001, and is punishable under Section 31(1) of the same Act read with Section 34 of the Penal Code.
If convicted, they face a maximum fine of RM50,000 or jail not more than 20 years or both.
Zayn Rayyan was found dead at a stream near an apartment in Damansara Damai at 10pm on Dec 6 last year.
His body was found about 200-metres from his home by members of the public who participated in the search operation.
The victim was confirmed to have been killed based on the post-mortem conducted, which found injuries to his neck and body.