No foul play suspected in death of 2-month-old baby

A two-month-old baby girl, whose death in December 2022 led to the police charging her father, showed no signs of neglect or abuse, a coroner’s inquiry into her death heard.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Tan Boon Kok told the court on Aug 27 that an autopsy did not ascertain the cause of death for Nur Misha Syaifa Mustaqim, but added that the police do not suspect foul play.

The child’s father, Mustaqim Rosli, then 31, was charged in May 2023 with causing the baby’s death by suffocating her with a pillow.

However, he was given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal following a pre-trial conference in November that year.

Taking the stand, DSP Tan said the child’s parents had no reason to harm her, and that Nur Misha was well nourished when she died and her autopsy showed no signs of neglect or abuse.

The couple lived with the baby and their two older sons in a one-room rental flat at Block 447A Bukit Batok West Avenue 9.

DSP Tan said the flat was adequately stocked with food and milk powder.

The investigation officer said the child’s mother had initially accused Mustaqim of causing the baby’s death by suffocating her with a pillow, but she later retracted the claim.

DSP Tan said the mother made the allegation out of a sense of loss and concern for her family.

He told the court that paramedics saw Mustaqim performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the baby when they arrived at the flat at around 1am on Dec 3, 2022. The baby was then lying on the sofa. 

The baby did not respond to CPR and was pronounced dead soon after.

The child’s father told paramedics he had noticed that the girl’s face was blue at around 10pm, but left her alone as he thought she was sleeping.

He realised only hours later that she was not breathing and called for an ambulance.

According to the child’s mother, Mustaqim was roused from his sleep at about 8pm when he heard the baby crying.

He then placed Nur Misha in a prone position, or chest down, in a cot. The mother, who was not identified, quarrelled with her husband over this.

She told the police that she then put the child on her back, but Mustaqim returned her to a prone position.

As Nur Misha had stopped crying, the mother went to sleep after ensuring the baby was breathing.

She said she awoke to the noise made by her older children trying to run out of the flat, and discovered Nur Misha lying face down with her face and lips blue.

She said she saw her husband talking to himself about what to tell the police before calling for an ambulance.

DSP Tan then gave Mustaqim’s version of events. According to Mustaqim, he had asked his wife to take care of the baby that night as he was tired.

He said that at around midnight, he heard his sons playing outside the flat and told them to get inside. That was when he saw Nur Misha lying face down, her face pale.

He then called 995.

When the police interviewed him, he said he had been sleeping when he was woken up by his wife, who told him his arm was blocking the baby’s nose.

The investigation officer said Mustaqim and his wife gave different versions of what happened that night, and that the child’s father also gave contradictory answers over the delay in asking for help.

He said investigations cannot confirm the time the parents first found Nur Misha in an unresponsive state.

But the police do not suspect foul play, he said.

State Coroner Adam Nakhoda said he will give his findings on Nur Misha’s death in September.