Penang police address claims girl was returned to alleged abuser's home

Penang police have clarified details surrounding a child sexual assault case involving an 11-year-old girl, following concerns raised by an assemblyman about the girl's welfare and protection. The case was initially reported on October 16, 2025, by a school principal who claimed the girl had been sexually assaulted by her biological father.

The father was arrested and charged under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, with the case currently in trial. Regarding the girl's welfare, she was first placed under her grandmother's temporary care and then transferred to her biological mother on October 21, 2025. Penang police chief Datuk Dennis Lim advised the public not to speculate or spread unverified information.

This comes after Berapit assemblyman Heng Lee Lee questioned the decision to allow the girl to return to an environment where her alleged abuser resides, criticizing what she perceived as coordination failures among the police, hospitals, and the Welfare Department.

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