Housemaid kills 5-month-old baby

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)