Siti Bainun Ahd Razali maintained that the girl named Bella, who was under her care at a welfare home, was not abused by her at any point in time, adding that she would continue cooperating with the police.

In a statement, her lawyer Aminahtul Mardiah also slammed those spreading pictures and videos of the girl’s injured body, saying it contravened Section 15 of the Child Act 2001.

Aminahtul said the other children under Siti Bainun’s care were handed over to for her guardianship by their own parents, while the Down Syndrome girl was entrusted to her by the Welfare Department after a court order on July 14.

“Questions as to how a single 28-year-old woman could get the rights to custody are unnecessary as the National Registration Department’s guidelines state that a woman aged 25 and above is eligible for de facto adoption after fulfilling the necessary criteria.

“However, due to the stress caused by many on social media, these children have been taken by the Welfare Department for temporary custody until investigations on Siti Bainun are over,” she said.

The girl was found with burns on her chest, hands, neck and thighs on July 6 after allegedly being a victim of abuse at a condominium unit in Wangsa Maju which was being used as a welfare home.

The girl had been under the care of Taman Sinar Harapan (TSH) Tuanku Ampuan Najihah since 2011 before being handed over to a welfare home owned by an NGO as an adopted child last year.

Kuala Lumpur Criminal Investigation Department (CID) chief Saiful Annuar Yusoff said doctors confirmed that the victim had infected burn wounds over her forearm and had multiple old scars all over her body.

Yesterday, Bukit Aman Sexual, Women, and Child Investigations (D11) Division assistant director Siti Kamsiah Hassan reportedly said their probe into the case had been completed, with the investigation papers sent to the Attorney-General’s Chambers.