Acting Alor Gajah police chief Azrul Mohamed said the boy was sent to Melaka Hospital’s emergency unit and confirmed dead at 11.45pm.

“The parents will be summoned to assist in an investigation under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 for ill-treatment, neglect, abandonment, or exposure of children,” Kosmo reported Azrul as saying today.

Those charged and found guilty under the section face up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to RM50,000, or both.

Kosmo quoted a source as saying the family had been at the homestay for a family day programme with seven other families. The group comprised about 35 people, including 20 children.

The boy is believed to have fallen into the pool not long after his family attended a prize-giving ceremony for games at 10pm, and was spotted floating in the pool by an uncle at about 10.50pm, the source said.

He was given CPR while the family waited for an ambulance to arrive.