JOHOR BARU: The Johor Welfare Department is appealing to the public to help locate the relatives of an infant found behind a bakery in Kempas, Skudai, in April.
The department's community development officer, Lily Norliyana Azfar Norli, said the boy was discovered by a woman who heard loud crying coming from the back of the bakery along Jalan Selasih 8.
She said the infant, with his umbilical cord still attached, was found abandoned in a box. To determine his age, a 'bone age test', also known as a skeletal age study, was conducted.
A police report was lodged, and the infant underwent a medical check-up. He was then placed under the temporary care of foster parents in accordance with Section 19(2)(b) of the Child Act 2001.
An X-ray measuring his skeletal maturity was conducted by the Sultanah Aminah Hospital's paediatric specialist. Based on the tests, the infant, named Muhammad Raees Mikhail, is believed to have been three months old when he was abandoned on April 13.
Lily said that under the act, the department is allowed to place an abandoned child under the temporary custody of a suitable person. She explained that it was necessary to ensure that the child's immediate needs for safety and care are met while efforts are made to locate the child's family or determine a longer-term care arrangement. There were no documents left with the infant.
She urged those with information about the baby's family to come forward. For those who may have relevant information, please contact the department's officer, Nur Aida Masturah Taib, at 07-6622990 or 011-21779224, or via email at nuraidamasturah99@gmail.com.