20-Month-Old Toddler Killed in Kebayoran Lama Market Toilet, Economic Motive in Focus
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- Polisi menetapkan ibu kandung dan ayah tiri sebagai tersangka pembunuhan balita 20 bulan di toilet umum Pasar Kebayoran Lama, Jakarta Selatan.
- Motif ekonomi disebut melatarbelakangi aksi tersebut karena pelaku mengaku tidak mampu membiayai kedua anaknya.
- Kakak korban yang berusia tiga tahun kini dirawat Dinas Sosial, sementara jenazah balita diautopsi di RS Kramat Jati.
A 20-month-old toddler with the initials SF was found dead after being killed by his biological mother, JM (20), and his stepfather, AR (22), in a public toilet at Pasar Kebayoran Lama, South Jakarta, on Saturday (31/10). The case came to light after the toilet owner reported an alleged sodomy, which then developed into a murder investigation.
The Kebayoran Lama Police Chief, Kompol Seala Syah Alam, said the two suspects had carried the victim's body in an online taxi to Palmerah, then walked to Bendungan Hilir. On an empty plot in that area, they buried the toddler's body in a plastic bag. Police arrested both shortly after the report was received.
According to Seala, the initial investigation pointed to an economic motive. The young couple admitted they could not afford to support their two children. "They couldn't afford it. In the end, of these two siblings, the youngest was killed by both parents," Seala told reporters on Sunday (1/11).
The case has left deep grief, especially for the victim's older sibling, who is only three years old. The subdistrict office has coordinated with the Social Affairs Agency to care for the child temporarily. "For the three-year-old older sibling, the subdistrict office has already helped. I have coordinated with the subdistrict head for temporary care at the Social Affairs Agency," Seala added.
SF's body is currently undergoing an autopsy at Kramat Jati Hospital by a team of forensic doctors. The autopsy results are expected to reveal the exact cause of death and complete the evidence to charge both suspects with multiple articles, including premeditated murder and violence against children.
Criminologist Josias Simon of Universitas Indonesia assessed that the case reflects extreme socio-economic pressure on a young family. "Poverty is not a justification, but this is an alarm for the state to strengthen the social safety net, especially for vulnerable families with toddlers," he said when contacted separately.
The incident has also raised questions about the effectiveness of social assistance programs and family mentoring at the kelurahan level. Could similar cases be prevented if there had been early detection from the surrounding community? Police are still investigating the role of each suspect and the possibility of involvement by other parties.
As of this report, both suspects are still undergoing intensive questioning at the South Jakarta Police. Police have promised to thoroughly investigate the case and ensure the rights of the remaining child stay protected.
