Tawau district deputy police chief Supt Mustaffa Maarof Mustafa said the victim was taken while she was sleeping with her mother, Norsiah Rashid, 32, in the living room.

The incident was discovered by the mother’s younger sibling at 6.15am.

“At the time of the incident, the door of the house was closed but not locked as the victim’s grandmother was busy in the kitchen,” he told reporters here today.

He said early investigations found that, according to Norsiah, her husband received a message through the WhatsApp application from a man who was believed to have kidnapped the victim.

“The suspect demanded RM100,000 to pay off his drug debt,” she said.

Mustaffa said further investigations were still being conducted and efforts made to locate the victim.