SERI ISKANDAR: The police will record statements from the parents of a two-year-old boy who was found drowned in a lake near the Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) Mosque here yesterday.
Central Perak District Police Chief, Superintendent Hafezul Helmi Hamzah said the case is being investigated under Section 33 of the Child Act 2001, which deals with neglecting children without reasonable supervision.
"Yes, statements will be taken from both parents of the child involved. The results of the post-mortem conducted on the victim's body at Changkat Melintang Hospital, Bota, reveal drowning as the cause of death," he said when contacted last night.
According to media reports, yesterday, it was understood that the incident occurred while the victim's family was waiting for the zuhur prayer time.
Perak Fire and Rescue Department assistant director of operations Sabarodzi Nor Ahmad, said that Seri Iskandar Fire and Rescue Station personnel were rushed to the scene as soon as they received an emergency call at 1.19pm.
The water rescue team then found the victim's body three meters from the lake bank at 4.25 pm.
Hafezul Helmi said they received information from the UTP Security Division that a couple had reported their two-year-old son missing while at the university mosque at 1.15pm.
"A review of the mosque's closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage found the victim walking towards the lake.
Assisted by the Ipoh Fire and Rescue Scuba Unit, they found the victim unconscious at 4:25pm.
"Members of the public with information about the incident can contact the investigating officer, Inspector Mohamad Zulkarnaiin Jusoh, at 013-9740294 to assist in the investigation," he said.