A 2-year-old Malaysian boy tragically died after falling into a manhole while his father was collecting recyclables nearby.
The incident occurred at a commercial area along Jalan Pedada in Sibu, Sarawak, yesterday (August 4).
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Police investigations revealed that the boy’s father had driven there, as he did every day, to collect cardboard and recyclable items.
According to Sin Chew Daily, the car was found packed with cardboard boxes and other recyclables. The open manhole, which was covered only with a discarded car mudguard, had a water depth between 2 to 4 feet.
Father had no childcare support
Due to his wife working out of town, the father told police he had no one else to look after his son. As a result, he often brought the child along while working.
Nearby shopowners confirmed that the man was a regular in the area.
One of them said he would usually arrive around 5 pm and spend over an hour collecting cardboard. Sometimes, the child was seen accompanying him.
A witness shared that he saw the man’s car parked beside the manhole around 5 pm the day before.
He added that when he left work at 6 pm, the car was still there.
Police are continuing their investigation into the safety conditions of the drainage system and whether negligence played a role in the boy’s death.
