4 Teens Kill Housemate's 20-Month-Old Baby 'For Crying Nonstop'

Four teenage girls were arrested Saturday for killing their housemate’s 20-month-old toddler because he wouldn’t stop crying. The incident took place in Semporna, a city in the Malaysian state of Sabah, on Friday.

The mother of the baby had asked her housemates, girls aged between 16 and 19, to look after her son while she was away for work. When the 23-year-old single mother returned home Friday evening, she noticed that the baby had turned pale and wasn’t breathing properly. She rushed the baby to a nearby hospital. Doctors informed her the boy was in a critical condition and had bruises all over his body. The baby succumbed to injuries early Saturday. The body of the baby was sent for autopsy.

Investigation revealed that the four teenagers had handled the baby roughly. They had slapped, kicked and thrown the victim onto a mattress. One of them had even stepped on the baby’s back. As they pulled the victim from the mattress, the baby’s face hit against the bed frame. The four girls were taken into custody.

Though police were investigating the exact cause of death, they believe the teens handled the baby roughly because he was crying nonstop. Police said the girls regret their actions and were crying in the jail.

“They are now crying most of the time in the lockup. We are trying to talk to them. We believe that their action was because the child did not stop crying,” said Semporna district police chief Supt Sabarudin Rahmat.

Police said the girls were not on drugs when the incident took place and will likely be charged next week once the investigation was over.

Police said the unidentified mother of the baby had separated from her husband over a year ago.