A 13-year-old boy, linked to the alleged acts of sexual misconduct involving several children at a children's home in George Town, has turned fugitive.

The suspect, a former inmate of the home, is believed to have gone into hiding in Johor.

George Town police chief ACP Gan Kong Meng said today, initial investigations revealed the suspect had fled to Johor to escape the police 'heat'.

He appealed to those with information on the teenager to contact the police to facilitate investigations.

On Jan 15, police detained a 15-year-old boy from Sungai Petani to assist in investigations on the case but he was released.

Three days earlier, a businesswoman who wished to be known only as Lim, had lodged a police report in connection with sexual misconduct committed on 16 of the 35 children staying at the home.

According to the report, some children were sexually abused, sodomised or molested by some of the home's staff, committee members and volunteers.

- Bernama