A teenager was detained today to assist in the investigation on the 16-year-old student who hid her new-born baby in a backpack, resulting in the infant's death last Tuesday.

   

State Criminal Investigations Department chief ACP K Manoharan said the suspect was picked up at his house in Kampung Cherang Guling, Marang, near here, about 4am this morning.

The suspect was in remand until July 13, he added.   

"He was arrested based on information provided by the 16-year-old student. Initial investigations found they were not lovers but had engaged in illicit intercourse twice last year.”    

The girl had reportedly given birth at her school hostel on Tuesday, stuffed the baby into a backpack and handed it to a classmate who had unknowingly kept the dead infant for 17 hours. 

The student, who was being treated at the Sultanah Nur Zahirah hospital here after complaining of stomach pains, eventually admitted that she delivered a baby at 1am last Tuesday.

- Bernama