Couple Leave 9-Year-Old Daughter Behind By Accident When Switching Drivers On The Roadside
The child was later found by a member of the public who had heard her crying near his house.
A parent's worst nightmare became a reality for a couple when their daughter went missing from their car as they were travelling back home
The incident reportedly happened at about 2.30am yesterday, 13 March when the husband and wife pulled over at the side of the road to switch drivers.
The family were said to be on their way from Pokok Sena, Kedah to their home in Pasir Puteh, Kelantan.
Tanah Merah district police chief deputy superintendent Zainuddin Md Yusuf said, before the car stopped on the roadside, the child was sleeping in the back passenger seat, reported Berita Harian.
They were near Bukit Bunga, Kelantan when they stopped the car.
It turns out that when the couple were switching seats, the girl stepped out of the vehicle without them realising before they continued with their journey home.
The child was later found by a member of the public who then made a report at the Bukit Bunga police station at around 3am
Kamarulzaman Mohd Sakeri, 32, said he heard loud cries in front of his house before finding the nine-year-old crying.
He approached her to help but the girl ran away for about a kilometre from where he spotted her.
"Maybe because she saw that I'm a man, she got scared, so I called some friends and the police to calm her down," he was quoted as saying.
"The child then told us that her parents left her behind when their car stopped. After all, the area was dark and the incident happened early in the morning."
At the police station, the girl was able to remember her parents' phone numbers so the police managed to get in touch with them
Zainuddin said officers got a hold of them as they were still on the road back to their village.
They picked her up yesterday morning.
He also reminded the public not to be complacent, especially when it involves children, to avoid any untoward incidents.