Toddler Abused by Stepmother in Bekasi in Coma, Treated in PICU

A four-year-old girl, identified by the initials QSH, is in a coma and undergoing intensive care at Koja Regional General Hospital in North Jakarta after allegedly being abused by her stepmother in Bekasi, West Java. The victim is being treated in the hospital’s Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU).

Kapolsek Tarumajaya AKP I Gede Bagus Ariska Sudana stated on Wednesday that the child remains unconscious after undergoing surgery on her head for injuries sustained in the assault. She continues to be under close observation by the hospital’s medical team.

Police have named the victim’s 19-year-old stepmother, DM, as a suspect. The abuse is believed to have been ongoing since May. The case came to light when the suspect brought the child to the hospital, claiming the injuries resulted from a slip in the bathroom. However, medical staff discovered multiple wounds inconsistent with that explanation and subsequently reported the matter to the authorities.

A preliminary medical examination revealed bruises on the child’s back, chest, face, and stomach, as well as abrasions and burn marks on her buttocks. Plh. Kapolres Metro Bekasi Kombes Ikhlas Putro Wasono stated that the suspect allegedly committed the violence under the pretext of disciplining the child, using a water dipper, pinching, and inflicting injuries with a toothbrush.

Further investigation suggests the suspect may have been motivated by resentment towards her husband’s words, which she then took out on the victim. The child lived with the suspect and a one-year-old half-sibling, while her biological father was working abroad and reportedly unaware of the alleged abuse. The suspect has been charged under Article 76C in conjunction with Article 80 of Law Number 35 of 2014 on Child Protection.