It was initially believed that the victim was splashed with hot water because she had allegedly stolen RM10.

But according to Timur Laut police district chief Che Zaimani Che Awang, the father became furious when he returned home and found his four children, aged between three and nine, had finished all the food.

“The incident where the victim allegedly stole RM10 from her mother was an old incident.

“It was not the reason the father splashed hot water on the girl, causing her to suffer scald burns on her arms, ribs and chest,” he told reporters here today.

He said in the 1am incident, the man, who is a pre-paid card sales agent, had just returned home from work and was expecting to find his dinner waiting for him.

“Unfortunately, all the food prepared by his wife had been eaten by his children.

“Hungry and furious, he stormed into the living room where his three older children were sleeping.

“He woke them up before scolding and beating them up. He also took a bowl of hot water from the water filter machine and splashed it on the victim,” he said.

Che Zaimani said the man’s act was witnessed by his wife and other children, but no one did anything to stop him.

After the incident, he said the man and his wife were believed to have fled to an unknown destination with their youngest child for fear of being arrested.

“The other two children are now staying with their grandmother, who is living at the same block of flats.

“Police are in the midst of tracking down the couple, who are using a white Proton Saga,” he said.