KUALA LUMPUR: The Petaling Jaya Sessions Court on Thursday drew widespread public attention when it carried out hearing in the murder case of Zayn Rayyan Abdul Matiin, a six-year-old autistic boy who was found dead in Damansara Damai, Selangor, in December 2024.
Here is the timeline of events leading to the child’s tragic death and subsequent developments in the case:
Zayn Rayyan murder case: A Chronology Of Events
December 5, 2023: Zayn Rayyan went missing after playing at a playground near his home. The family announced his disappearance on social media and then informed the police. The child was last spotted entering a bushy area near his apartment block.
December 6, 2023: The Petaling Jaya district police and the residents’ association carried out a search operation at 8 pm. They went door to door and monitored the entry and exits of the building.
At around 10:00 pm, Zayn Rayyan’s body was found in a stream about 200 meters from his house. Police said the location was within the search area covered by the K9 search unit the previous day.
December 7, 2023: Police classified Zayn Rayyan’s death as a murder following an autopsy at Sungai Buloh Hospital. Datuk Hussein Omar Khan, the Selangor police chief, said the post-mortem revealed that there were injuries on the victim’s neck and body.
December 8, 2023: Police checked people with criminal records in the area. He confirmed that no signs of old wounds suggesting abuse were found on the boy’s body.
December 10, 2023: 228 people underwent DNA testing to support the investigation, which included the inspection of 2,484 residential and commercial premises.
December 13, 2023: Police found a sock in a puddle near the stream where Zayn Rayyan’s body was found after the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department and the Selangor Irrigation and Drainage Department drained the stream.
December 14, 2023: It was confirmed that the sock did not belong to Zayn Rayyan.
December 23, 2023: Police asked Interpol for help in gathering evidence in this case.
February 6, 2024 – Datuk Seri A Thaiveegan, the Malaysia Crime Prevention Foundation (MCPF) Selangor vice-president, offered a reward of RM20,000 to anyone who helped in the arrest of the suspect.
February 23, 2024: Despite the RM20,000 reward, no one came forward with relevant information.
May 8, 2024: Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain, the Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Director, highlighted that the police are still waiting for new leads.
May 31, 2024: Selangor Police arrested the parents of Zayn Rayyan near Puncak Alam to assist in the investigation.
June 1, 2024: The Petaling Jaya court ordered the 29-year-old couple to be held in custody for 7 days under Section 302 of the Penal Code.
June 7, 2024 – The Petaling Jaya Sessions Court extended the remand of Zayn’s parents for another six days, until June 13.
June 10, 2024: Police brought Zayn Rayyan’s mother to Idaman Damasara Damai’s apartment to recreate the events from Zayn Rayyan’s disappearance to the discovery of his body.
June 12, 2024: Zayn Rayyan’s mother was taken to the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court to obtain a guilty plea. At 2:30 pm, police arrested Zayn Rayyan’s grandfather and grandmother to assist in the investigation.
June 13, 2024: Zayn Rayyan’s parents were charged in Petaling Jaya court with negligence that may have caused physical injury to the child.
Zaim Ikhwan Zahari and Ismanira Abdul Manaf pleaded not guilty after their charges was read before Judge Dr. Syahliza Warnoh. They demanded a trial.
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