POLICE have arrested a 24-year-old woman from Seri Kembangan on suspicion of child abuse, after a video of her beating two children in her care was uploaded to social media earlier this week, Serdang police chief A.A. Anbalagan said.

He added that the suspect was an acquaintance of the children’s mother and has been taking care of the children since March last year while the mother works in Singapore.

“Following the viral video, a police report was lodged by a civil society group after receiving a public complaint about children being beaten at the suspect’s house,” he said in a statement today.

After she was informed about the incident, the mother asked one of her friends to pick up her children, ages four and seven, with the help of the group, he said, adding that after rescuing them they noticed bruises and welts all over the children’s bodies.

He said the children were admitted to Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital, Klang, on the same day and discharged yesterday.

Anbalagan said the suspect was then detained and released on police bail, adding that the investigation was still ongoing under section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001.

He said the Selangor Social Welfare Department was also monitoring the case. – Bernama, April 8, 2023.