Police investigations into a case involving three children believed to have consumed methadone have, so far, found no evidence of criminal intent, with early findings pointing instead to parental negligence.
Selangor Police Chief Datuk Shazeli Kahar said investigations are still ongoing, but preliminary inquiries indicate that the incident did not involve deliberate wrongdoing.
“Based on initial investigations, we do not see elements of intent. It appears to be negligence on the part of the parents that led to the incident,” he said.
Medication Belonged To Father
Shazeli explained that the methadone in question belonged to the children’s father, who is undergoing treatment using the medication. The drug was obtained from a legitimate source and intended for his personal use.
He said the incident is believed to have occurred when the medication was mistakenly administered, possibly due to haste or other contributing factors.
The Selangor police chief spoke to reporters after attending the Walkabout Langkah Selamat Santuni Komuniti Kajang programme here today.
Two Children Showing Positive Recovery
Commenting on the condition of the two surviving children, Shazeli said both remain hospitalised but are responding well to treatment.
“At this stage, they are still under medical care and showing good signs of recovery,” he said.
He added that the parents, who were detained to assist in investigations, were later released on police bail a few days after their arrest. Authorities took into account the family’s circumstances, particularly the need to manage matters relating to the child who had died.
Last Wednesday, it was reported that police arrested the parents of three children who were rushed to hospital after allegedly being given methadone. One of the children was later confirmed dead.
According to Shazeli, the Kajang District Police Headquarters received information from medical officers at Hospital Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin regarding three local boys brought to the Emergency Department at about 9.01am.
Initial findings revealed that an 11-year-old boy died while being transported to hospital. The other two victims, aged about 10 and five, were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit for treatment.
The case is being investigated under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001.
The incident has sparked renewed calls for greater awareness on the safe storage and handling of prescribed medication, particularly in households with young children.
