Sukabumi Boy Dies with Burns Allegedly from Stepmother's Abuse: Swollen Heart and Lungs Found

A teenage boy in Sukabumi, West Java, identified as NS (12), died with burns covering his body, allegedly as a result of abuse by his stepmother, identified by the initials TR (46).

NS died at Jampangkulon Regional Hospital on Thursday (19 February). Shortly afterwards, a video went viral recording NS’s final moments before his death.

The video showed severe bruising on NS’s face, particularly around both eyes which appeared blue-black. In addition, there was a sizeable open wound on his thigh resembling a burn or a scald from hot water.

The victim’s father was seen continuously by his side offering encouragement, despite the child’s extremely weakened condition. At one point, NS identified his stepmother as the person who had caused his injuries.

The case first came to light when the victim’s biological father, Anwar Satibi (38), was contacted by his wife and asked to return home.

Anwar, who was working in Sukabumi City at the time, received a call from his wife asking him to come home to check on their son’s condition.

“She rang me and said, ‘Come home, Raja is unwell, he’s delirious and feverish.’ That’s what my wife told me,” Anwar said on Saturday (21 February).

Upon arriving home, he was shocked to find his son’s body covered in blisters.

“I asked what happened. She said it was because of a fever, that’s why he was blistering,” he recounted.

The victim was then taken to hospital, where he managed to give a statement to relatives.

“When asked, he admitted he had been made to drink hot water by his stepmother. That’s why in the video I lost my composure,” Anwar said.

Autopsy results from the medical team at Bhayangkara Level II Hospital, Setukpa Lemdiklat Polri Sukabumi, found burns on several parts of the victim’s body.

“We found a 12-year-old child with burns on his limbs, on the left leg, and several wounds on the back. There were also burns around the lips and nose, suspected to have been caused by heat,” said the Head of Bhayangkara Level II Hospital Setukpa Lemdiklat Polri Sukabumi, Commissioner Carles Siagian, on Saturday.

The forensic team also conducted an internal organ examination and took samples for further laboratory testing.

“An internal examination has been carried out, the organs have been autopsied and we have sent laboratory samples to Jakarta. We are awaiting results to determine whether there are any other substances in the organs,” Carles said.

The organs examined and sent for testing included the heart and lungs. Initial examination revealed slight swelling.

“We examined the heart and lungs because there was some swelling. We do not yet know whether this was due to a pre-existing condition,” he added.

Nevertheless, the cause of death has not yet been confirmed.

“The cause of death cannot yet be concluded because the wounds themselves should not have been fatal,” he said.

Stepmother denies abusing victim

The victim’s stepmother, TR (46), denied the allegations of abuse directed at her, claiming the wounds on the victim’s body were not the result of violence.

“The accusations from netizens and the news reports are all untrue. I am not that cruel,” TR said in a written interview via a messaging application on Saturday (21 February).

She also claimed the victim had a history of serious illness. “The child died of blood cancer, leukaemia, and an autoimmune condition. The blistering skin was caused by internal heat,” she claimed.

However, the post-mortem examination results presented by the police indicated numerous injuries on the victim’s body. Police revealed multiple burns on the victim.

“The post-mortem results show abrasions on several parts of the face, neck, and limbs. In addition, second-degree 2A burns were found at several points on the body, along with red-purple bruising indicating blunt force trauma,” said Head of Criminal Investigation Unit at Sukabumi Police, Assistant Commissioner Hartono, on Sunday (22 February).

Police also disclosed the victim’s condition prior to his death. The victim was known to have returned home during a break from his Islamic boarding school and had fallen ill.

“On the same day, the victim was taken by his stepmother to a traditional masseuse identified by the initial S. However, suspicion arose when the father returned home in the early hours of Thursday and discovered numerous abrasions across his son’s body,” Assistant Commissioner Hartono said.

The victim was subsequently taken to Jampang Kulon Regional Hospital and managed to make a statement before his death. NS was pronounced dead on Thursday afternoon at approximately 4.00 p.m. local time.