Remanded: Soldier's wife who allegedly slashed baby to death

An army corporal's wife who allegedly slashed their two-month-old baby girl to death yesterday, has been remanded for a week to facilitate investigations.

Kota Bharu magistrate's court assistant registrar Rusli Ahmad ordered the 32-year-old suspect's remand to begin today.

Kelantan police chief Datuk Dr Ab Rahman Ismail said the woman was currently undergoing treatment at the psychiatric ward of the Raja Perempuan Zainab II Hospital under police guard.

He said the remand order was issued under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.

"The police are waiting for a medical report from psychiatrists on the suspect's mental health," he told reporters after attending the state-level Let's Go To School Programme at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Bachok here today.

Yesterday, the suspect was believed to have slashed the baby's throat with a kitchen knife at an army quarters in Kem Desa Pahlawan, Kok Lanas, Kota Bharu.

A blood-stained knife was found next to the victim's body.

Meanwhile in PUTRAJAYA, the women, family and community development ministry, through the social welfare department, will provide counselling to the suspect's family.

Deputy Minister Datuk Azizah Mohd Dun said it was understood the woman had suffered from postnatal depression.

Such extreme incidents rarely happened to mothers in the country, she told reporters after handing over certificates of Housewife Special Training Programme here.

On a proposal that nurses visit women who had just given birth to examine their mental state of health, Azizah said postnatal depression was something unpredictable and could happen suddenly. - BERNAMA