SIBU: Four girls allegedly abandoned by their caregiver in Sibu Jaya on Saturday do not want to return to her care.
The girls are seen at the Sibu Jaya police station.
A screenshot which went viral on social media shows the girls when they were found in Sibu Jaya.
Rebecca Seja Josephine said the woman who is their guardian is not her biological mother.
“She works at an entertainment outlet. My mother’s name is Josephine but she never comes home,” she said when met at the Sibu Hospital paediatric ward yesterday.
The other girls have been identified by police as Cathrine Junai Michael, 7; Melisa Michael, 6; and Oliviarina Dayang, 2.
All four were found wandering at a commercial area in Sibu Jaya by two policemen on Saturday.
They had with them two bags, two umbrellas and RM70 in Monopoly money.
Rebecca said shopkeepers had rejected the ‘money’ when they wanted to buy food for Oliviarina.
She and the other girls also showed their scars to reporters.
Rebecca claimed the scar on her forehead was inflicted by someone using a broomstick.
Catherine showed a scar on the back of her knee, while Melisa revealed scald marks on her chest and back.
Temenggong Vincent Lau and Temenggong Datuk Wan Hamid had earlier visited the girls at the hospital to give them assistance.
Meanwhile, Sibu police chief ACP Mohd Kamal Kordi said the girls’ guardian – a 31-year-old woman – lodged a police report on Sunday after she realised the girls were missing.
“The woman said the girls are her adopted children from her relatives. She adopted them from their mothers, who could not afford to raise them.
“The children are currently placed under the temporary custody of the Welfare Department,” he said when contacted.
He said doctors had found the girls were not malnourished and are physically healthy.
“There are scars from old wounds but there are no signs of abuse. The children might have fallen and injured themselves because from observation they are very active,” he said.
Police are continuing to investigate the case.