Chai Xue Zhen, 36, and her husband, Ling Kok Liang, 51, were charged today under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which provides for the death penalty upon conviction, the Borneo Post reported.

No plea was taken.

Magistrate Zaiton Anuar extended the couple’s remand order until further mention on May 9.

Eric Chang was reported missing while under Chai’s supervision in Bintawa on March 9 after his mother, Chang Ka Hui, realised that he was not at her home.

The caregiver and her husband were remanded from March 12 to 16 to assist with the investigation under Section 31(1) of the Child Act 2001 for the ill-treatment, neglect, abandonment, or exposure of children.

Police reclassified the case as murder on March 13 after it was allegedly claimed that Eric’s body had been dumped into the Sarawak River.

The couple also face five charges each under Section 15(1) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, but no plea was taken on these charges either.

Chai and Ling were unrepresented. Deputy public prosecutor Tan Chuan Yi led the prosecution.