Kuala Terengganu police chief Azli Noor said police received a report from Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital regarding the boy’s death at 4.14pm on Wednesday, Bernama reported.

He said the toddler, the youngest of two children, was brought to the hospital unconscious at 1pm by his father and stepmother.

They claimed that the child had fallen, causing his forehead to swell.

The father said he applied ice to reduce the swelling and the child began playing as normal.

“However, at about noon the next day (Wednesday), while preparing to feed him milk, the father found the child weak and his body limp.

“The father said he massaged the boy’s neck to prevent a seizure, causing it to bruise,” Azli said in a statement today.

The couple took the child to the Manir health clinic but were referred to the hospital due to his critical condition.

The victim was pronounced dead at 2.05pm yesterday.

Azli said the child had suffered brain injuries as well as bruises and wounds.

He said a post-mortem revealed the cause of death as intracranial haemorrhage due to blunt force trauma.

He said the father confessed to hitting the victim with a clothes hanger.

The 27-year-old man and 30-year-old woman were detained at 10pm in Marang shortly after the boy’s burial. They were later remanded for a week for investigations.

The couple’s other son, aged three, has been placed under the care of the social welfare department.