PETALING JAYA, April 8 — A witness told the Sessions Court today that the death of autistic boy Zayn Rayyan Abdul Matiin is not considered a normal death, but rather classified as suspicious, or "homicide until proven otherwise".
Pasir Gudang Hospital’s forensic medical consultant Dr Rohayu Shahar Adnan, 54, said before she performed the post-mortem on the deceased, a team of medical officers visited the scene where he was found in a stream near Block R, Idaman Apartment in Damansara Damai.
"The investigating officer ASP Mohd Nasir Mustapha took me and the medical officers to the residential area and stream where the victim was discovered. Upon inspecting the path leading to the stream, I noted a slope and a hill, which would make the route difficult for an autistic child.
"Based on the medical officer's history, the child was not known to frequent that stream. After viewing the scene, I told my medical officers that I would take the case and also informed ASP Mohd Nasir.
"This visit was crucial for me to corroborate any injuries on the victim with the scene of the incident before proceeding with the case," she said.
The 27th prosecution witness, who was previously attached to the Forensic Department at the Sungai Buloh Hospital, was testifying on the 15th day of the trial of Zayn's parents Ismanira Abdul Manaf and Zaim Ikhwan Zahari, both 30, who are facing charges of neglect.
Earlier, during the examination-in-chief by Deputy Public Prosecutor Raja Zaizul Faridah Raja Zaharudin, Dr Rohayu said the post-mortem was conducted at 12pm on December 7, 2023, following a presentation of the deceased's medical history by her medical officers.
"My medical officers informed me that the deceased, Zayn Rayyan, was an autistic child, and scientifically, autistic children have certain preferences... When my medical officers stated that the child had drowned, I inquired whether he liked water and what his preferences were, as a child who enjoys water would typically go to a water source and play in it.
"However, this question could not be answered, so I instructed my medical officers to contact the police to arrange for a visit to the scene. Therefore, the autopsy was conducted at noon, following the site visit," she said.
Dr Rohayu added that after visiting the scene and conducting the autopsy, she concluded that the cause of death was not drowning because the injuries on the deceased were inconsistent with the scene.
"The cut marks on the ears and sharp wounds on the arm were inconsistent with the location. It was a river area with small and large trees, which could cause blunt force injuries. However, any blunt force injuries on the deceased’s body from a fall would have only left prominent areas of impact and could not have caused the strangulation marks," she said.
The proceedings before Judge Syahliza Warnoh will resume tomorrow.
On June 13 last year, Zaim and Ismanira pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court to a charge of neglecting their six-year-old autistic son in a manner likely to cause physical harm.
The offence allegedly occurred along PJU Damansara Damai between 12pm on December 5 and 9.55pm on December 6, 2023.
They were charged under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001, which is punishable by a maximum fine of RM50,000, imprisonment of up to 20 years, or both upon conviction.
Zayn was reported missing on December 5, 2023, and his body was discovered in a stream near his home at Apartment Idaman, Damansara Damai, the following day.
He was believed to have been murdered, and an autopsy revealed injuries to his neck and body, consistent with self-defense.
— Bernama
