A social media influencer has been detained to assist police investigations after a three-year-old girl was found to have tested positive for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a substance linked to cannabis.
Melaka Police Chief Dzulkhairi Mukhtar said the 39-year-old man, who is the son of the child’s caregiver, was initially remanded for seven days starting April 16. The remand has since been extended for a further five days until April 27.
According to him, the incident came to light on April 14 when a medical officer at Melaka Hospital received the child in a semi-conscious state. Subsequent urine tests confirmed the presence of THC in her system.
The child’s mother reportedly told medical staff that her daughter had been picked up from a caregiver’s residence in Sungai Putat. She also said the child had earlier required respiratory assistance at the Emergency and Trauma Department of Melaka Hospital on April 11.
Following the report, police from the D11 unit of the Criminal Investigation Department at the Melaka contingent headquarters arrested the suspect at about 9.30pm on April 15 to assist investigations under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001.
Authorities confirmed that the suspect has no prior criminal record and his own urine screening returned negative. The child has since recovered and has been discharged from hospital.
