Six-year-old Albertine found safe at Batang Kali Hotel

PETALING JAYA: Six-year-old Albertine Leo Jia Hui, who went missing during a Bon Odori festival in Johor Baru, has been found safe at a hotel in Batang Kali on Tuesday, July 23.

Selangor police chief Comm Datuk Hussein Omar Khan confirmed the news.

Albertine was reported missing around 8:30 pm on Saturday, July 21, during the Japanese festival at Eco Galleria. The case was subsequently reclassified as kidnapping.

Johor police chief Comm M. Kumar announced at a separate press conference in Johor Baru that a police team conducted a raid at a budget hotel in Selangor around 4:30 am.

“We located the missing child in a hotel room. The team also apprehended a 31-year-old man who was with her,” he said.

Comm Kumar further noted that Albertine’s parents have been informed of her recovery, and she is currently receiving medical attention at a hospital.

“Initially, we detained four suspects, including two women, in the Iskandar Puteri and Johor Baru areas. Their arrests led us to the fifth suspect and the victim.

“The arrests and the rescue of the child were made possible thanks to information from the public,” he said, adding that the five suspects have no known connection to Albertine and her family.

Comm Kumar stated that the investigation is ongoing under Section 365 of the Penal Code for kidnapping and Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017.

“We are still trying to determine the motive as no ransom demand was made by the suspects,” he added.

Three of the suspects were brought to the Johor Baru Court Complex on Tuesday morning for the remand process.