Single Mum & OKU Daughter Found Dead In Car From Suspected Exhaust Fumes In Melaka
Family members said the victims had recently complained about problems with their car's air-conditioning.
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A tragic incident unfolded in the early hours of Thursday, 18 September, when a single mother and her disabled daughter were found dead inside their car in Melaka
The mother and daughter are believed to have inhaled toxic fumes while resting in the vehicle, which was parked on Jalan Solok Hilir in Paya Rumput.
The victims, identified as Zabanah Abu Hussin, 57, and her daughter Intan Nur Shafiqah Othman, 25, were discovered motionless in a Proton Exora.
Both women had been working together at a food stall and were described as very close.
Her neighbours described Zabanah as a hardworking single mother devoted to her special-needs daughter. The two were inseparable, often seen commuting together to and from work.
Police received a distress call around 12.24am after villagers reported an MPV with two unconscious occupants
"When our team arrived, the car engine and air-conditioning system were still running, and all windows were tightly shut. Both victims were seated in the front, in a semi-reclined position," Melaka police chief Datuk Dzulkhairi Mukhtar said in a statement, as quoted by China Press.
Initial investigations suggest the pair may have died from inhaling exhaust fumes.
Their bodies have been sent to Melaka Hospital for a post-mortem examination, while blood samples are being tested to determine if carbon monoxide poisoning was the cause of death.
"At this stage, there are no signs of foul play. The case has been classified as a sudden death report (SDR)," Dzulkhairi added.
He urged the public to be cautious when resting in vehicles with the engine running, especially if the car is parked in confined or poorly ventilated spaces, as carbon monoxide poisoning can be fatal.
Family members said the victims had recently complained about problems with their car's air-conditioning
It is understood that the Exora had just been sent for repairs on Wednesday, a day before the incident.
Relatives suspect the faulty air-conditioning might have contributed to the incident.
The discovery came only after family members began searching for the mother and daughter, who failed to show up at a relative's house that night as they normally did.
"They normally stop by my place after work for a meal before heading home around 10pm. But that night, they didn't come. We called them more than 20 times, but no one picked up. I even sent WhatsApp messages, but there was no reply," a relative said.
According to the relative, at about 11pm, her brother spotted the Exora parked by the roadside, only 50m from their home.
"When we rushed over, they were unresponsive. We tried CPR but failed. There was also a strong smell of gas inside the car," she recalled tearfully.
