Bandung Police Arrest Couples Persecuting Their Children To Death

Bandung Police Chief Kombes Budi Sartono when revealing the case of the murder of a toddler at the Bandung Police Headquarters, Bandung City, West Java, Monday (9/9/2024). (ANTARA/Rubby Jovan)

BANDUNG - The Bandung City Police (Polrestabes) arrested a married couple with the initials TM (26) and RM (26) as the perpetrators of the murder of their 14-month-old adopted son by molesting the victim to death.

Bandung Police Chief Kombes Budi Sartono said the disclosure of the case began with the discovery of a male toddler's body in a paint bucket on Jalan Sindangsari, RT 01 RW 03, Cipadung Kulon Village, Panyileukan District, Bandung City on Wednesday (4/9).

"We have named two suspects, namely husband and wife on behalf of TM and RM, who happened to be the adopted parents of the victim. So we have named a suspect and now we are completing the completeness of the files to be sent to the Prosecutor's Office," Budi said as quoted by ANTARA, Monday, September 9.

Budi said that after being found, the victim was immediately taken to the hospital and carried out a post-mortem. As a result, there were allegations of violence that occurred to the victim, such as bruises on the cheeks, forehead and head.

"We did a crime scene investigation and were taken to the hospital for a post-mortem, it turned out that there was an allegation of violence against the child's corpse," he said.

He revealed that after receiving the post-mortem results, his party immediately examined a number of witnesses and it was discovered that the two parents of the victim were suspects in this murder case.

Budi said that his party was still investigating the couple's motive for carrying out the act of persecution that caused the victim to die. Including whether the victim was deliberately entrusted to the perpetrator or the victim's biological parents who deliberately left him.

"While we are still investigating it because it is still an initial examination, what is certain is that the child has lived with the adopted parent at the age of four months and died at the age of 14 months. Approximately 10 months with the adopted parent," said Budi.

Kedua pelaku dijerat Pasal 80 ayat 3 jo 76C undang-undang nomor 35 tahun 2014 tentang perubahan atas undang-undang nomor 23 tahun 2002 tentang perlindungan anak dengan ancaman hukuman fifteen tahun penjara.