The cause of the baby’s death could not be determined, leading to an open verdict.
On November 15, 2024, the State Coroner ruled that the cause of death of two-month-old Nur Misha Syaifa Mustaqim could not be determined and issued an open verdict. While the coroner suggested that the baby’s prone sleeping position may have contributed to her death, there was no evidence of foul play, neglect, or ill-treatment. Nur Misha, who died on December 3, 2022, in her Bukit Batok flat, was found unresponsive with blue lips and cold skin by her parents, who had differing accounts of the events leading up to her death.
The baby’s father, Mr. Mustaqim Rosli, had previously been charged with causing his daughter’s death by suffocating her with a pillow. However, he was later discharged without an acquittal following a pre-trial conference. The investigation showed that Nur Misha’s parents had conflicting stories: the mother initially accused the father of suffocating the baby but later retracted the claim.
According to the mother’s testimony, Mr. Mustaqim placed the baby in a prone position after hearing her cry. This led to a quarrel between the parents, with the mother later repositioning the child, only to find her face down and unresponsive. Mr. Mustaqim stated that he placed the baby on her stomach because he thought she was tired of sleeping on her back. The coroner noted that while the baby’s forehead was resting on a small pillow, the possibility that the baby’s nose was pressed against the mattress, causing asphyxiation, was plausible.
The coroner emphasized that infants should never be placed in a prone position unless medically necessary. The exact time of death could not be determined, but it was clear that the baby had already passed away when discovered by her parents. The case was declared an open verdict, and the coroner expressed his condolences to the family.
