NIBONG TEBAL: More than 500 relatives and friends of a Form Two girl who died days after attempting suicide over being accused of stealing a teacher’s iPhone last week, have gathered to pay their final respects here today.
The teen is scheduled to be buried later this afternoon.
A sombre atmosphere had descended on the girl’s family’s home here, with hardly a dry eye among the crowd.
Many still could not come to terms with their unexpected loss, more so since the girl died in distress and humiliation after being accused of the crime.
Her parents, R. Muniandy, 54, and A. Malaveily, 51, could not hold back their tears and were seen constantly peering at their youngest daughter, who was lying in a white coffin.
Muniandy expressed bitter disappointment that the teacher he holds responsible for his daughter’s death has yet to come forward to face the family.
“I tried to look for and contact the teacher, but she tried to evade us. Worst still, she has gone into hiding now.
“Looking back at what my daughter had told the family, all the more, we cannot accept her death,” he told newsmen at the home.
Last Wednesday, the girl is believed to have hanged herself with a saree cloth after she was accused of the theft.
She was discovered by her father, who rushed the unconscious girl to the hospital.
However, she died at 3.30am yesterday, more than a week after being in a coma.
Police are investigating the case as suicide under Section 309 of the Penal Code.