2007 01: Boy, 11, warded with serious head injuries

The Star online. News. North. Sunday January 28, 2007

SUNGAI PETANI: An 11-year-old boy whose fascination for the Internet kept him at the cyber cafe, ended up in hospital with serious head injuries after he was beaten up by his father in Tikam Batu.

The father, a petty trader, turned violent as he claimed his son’s stu-dies had deteriorated because of his obsession with the Internet.

A police spokesman said the suspect had allegedly flung, punched, slapped and kicked his son before flinging him up into the air at their home in Taman Setia Budi in Tikam Batu, about 15km from here, between 7pm and 8pm on Friday.

The boy ran away from home and sought refuge at a surau in Kampung Haji Ahmad nearby during the Maghrib prayers where some villagers found him.

The police spokesman said police from Tikam Batu were informed and went to pick up the boy from the surau.

Police from Tikam Batu police station lodged a report on the boy’s behalf and handed him over to the Kuala Muda district police Domestic Violence and Child Abuse police unit.

The spokesman said the boy had been warded at Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital here and would be sent to the Kuala Muda Welfare Depart-ment pending investigations.

Police have obtained a remand order on the suspect.