KANGAR: He was beaten up so badly that his ribs were broken and his colon torn.
This was the unimaginable ordeal suffered by 6-year-old Mohamad Rayyan Hidayat Hairil Khan, allegedly at the hands of his mother’s abusive boyfriend.
Mohamad Rayyan died from his injuries on Wednesday.
The horrific abuse was uncovered only after a pathologist at the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital in Alor Star carried out a post-mortem on the boy’s remains.
Perlis police chief Datuk Azisman Alias said that the pathology report revealed that the boy had been beaten using a blunt object.
“The victim suffered severe internal injuries besides his broken ribs and torn colon,” he said when met at his office today.
Azisman said that Mohamad Rayyan passed away at the Tuanku Fauziah Hospital (HTF) here at about 4am on Wednesday, hours after he was rushed to the hospital after vomiting and passing out.
He said based on the post-mortem report, police arrested the boy’s mother, aged 31, and her 26-year-old boyfriend.
“The man and the boy’s mother were arrested after they turned themselves in at the Kangar police headquarters yesterday.
“Based on checks, the man has a criminal record of 12 offences, most of them involving motorcycle theft,” he said.
Azisman added that police have obtained a week-long remand order against the man, and the boy’s mother, beginning today, to facilitate investigations.
The case has been classified under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which carries the mandatory death penalty upon conviction.
Meanwhile, the boy’s father, Hairil Khan Azali, 32, said he was informed of his son’s death by his nephew.
“I was told that Rayyan was brought to the hospital late on Tuesday and that he passed away several hours later.
“I only learnt that he is suspected of being an abuse victim after the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital released the pathology report yesterday evening,” he said when contacted today.
Hairil added that the last time he saw his son was last month, and at that time, Rayyan was healthy as usual.
“I had broken up with my wife three years ago, but I saw Rayyan quite frequently, as he had lived with my former in-laws in Kampung Abi here.
“However, I had not seen him for a month, as my ex-wife left her parents’ home with Rayyan to live with her boyfriend.
“I did not know where they lived, and even my former in-laws were not informed of where my ex-wife was living,” he said.
Hairil added that his son was laid to rest at the Kampung Abi Tok Hashim Muslim cemetery yesterday.