Housemaid kills 5-month-old baby

JAKARTA (JP): Police arrested a male housemaid on Wednesday for allegedly torturing a five-month-old baby girl to death in his employer's house on Jl. Sunter in North Jakarta.

A North Jakarta Police officer said the maid, identified as Yulianto, 19, repeatedly pinched the stomach of the baby, identified as Tan Serly, in a desperate attempt to make her stop crying.

"The suspect seemed upset and lost his patience when the baby kept crying," the police said.

Yulianto took care of the baby upon request of the baby's grandfather, Tjap Song Bong, who went out on Tuesday at midnight.

The baby lived with her 51-year-old grandfather after her mother, who is also Tjap's daughter, died a few months ago. The baby's father lives in another part of the city.

Tjap, a businessman, had often asked Yulianto to baby-sit.

On Tuesday night the baby was unusually restless, probably due to sickness.

Besides pinching the baby's belly, Yulianto reportedly sucked her nose in an attempt to remove her mucus. But the efforts were proven in vain and caused bruises to the baby's nose.

Yulianto then decided to take the baby to hospital in a last- ditch effort to stop her deafening cries. The suspect then asked Tjap's other servant, identified as Eko Setiawan, 17, to accompany him to Cempaka Putih Islamic Hospital in Central Jakarta.

It was 2 a.m. on Wednesday when the two housemaids left for the hospital on a motorcycle, with Yulianto holding the baby.

Unfortunately, Serly died on her way to the hospital.

Tjap reported the death of his granddaughter to the police later on Wednesday.

Yulianto is being detained at the North Jakarta Police Precinct. He could be charged with violating Article 351 (3) of the Criminal Code for torturing people to death, a crime which carries a maximum punishment of seven years in jail. (jun)