GEORGE TOWN: A woman died while her 10-year-old son was found unconscious in their hotel room at Jalan Macalister here this afternoon.
The deceased has been identified as Lim Bee Tin, 28, from Air Itam here.
Northeast district police chief Assistant Commissioner Che Zaimani Che Awang said the mother and son had checked into the hotel at 11pm last night. They drove there.
“They were supposed to check out at noon today. However, at 2pm they had yet to check out.
“The hotel management then went to their room and knocked on the door but to no avail.
“They then broke the door and found the woman and her son lying on the bed,” he said today.
It was learnt that the hotel management then sought assistance from St John Ambulance, and the child was rushed to Penang Hospital for treatment.
Che Zaimani said checks showed there were remnants of burnt charcoal inside the room.
The room also smell of smoke.
“Initial investigation revealed there were no injuries on both victims.
“From the remnants of the charcoal found, there is a possibility that the deceased could have burnt a kind of drug and overdosed on it.
“However, we can only ascertain this after a post-mortem and chemistry reports. Investigation is underway,” he added.