19-Year-Old Woman Charged in Child Abuse and Neglect Case Following Charity Home Raids

By Subaashinee Kupusamy,

12 SEPTEMBER: A 19-year-old woman was brought to the Sessions Court on Thursday (Sept 12) to face four charges related to child abuse and neglect. She arrived in a Black Maria van around 9 am and is expected to be charged at different courts later in the day.

The woman, believed to be an employee of a nearby pre-school and nursery, will be charged under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001. If convicted, she faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to RM50,000.

This follows a major operation, “Ops Global,” which took place across 18 care homes in Selangor and Negri Sembilan on Wednesday (Sept 11). During the raids, 402 children, including 201 boys and 201 girls aged between one and 17, were rescued. The children were found in deplorable conditions, crammed into small rooms, many forced to sleep on the floor. They had been subjected to both physical and mental abuse, including cases of molestation and sexual assault.

A total of 171 suspects, aged between 17 and 64, were arrested as part of the operation, including a teacher and dormitory caretakers. The authorities believe that these children had been victims of long-term neglect and abuse as stated in The Star.