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Blood spot found in room of murdered girl's adoptive mother
In their prayers: Pupils of state elementary school SDN 12 Sanur in Denpasar, Bali, pray on Friday for Engeline, an 8-year-old girl who had been missing for three weeks but was found dead in her adoptive motherâs backyard in Denpasar on Wednesday
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In their prayers:: Pupils of state elementary school SDN 12 Sanur in Denpasar, Bali, pray on Friday for Engeline, an 8-year-old girl who had been missing for three weeks but was found dead in her adoptive motherâs backyard in Denpasar on Wednesday. The story of the girlâs death has invoked nationwide sympathy as it broke amid allegations that she had been mistreated by her adoptive mother. (JP/Zul Trio Anggono) (JP/Zul Trio Anggono)
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span class="inline inline-center">In their prayers: Pupils of state elementary school SDN 12 Sanur in Denpasar, Bali, pray on Friday for Engeline, an 8-year-old girl who had been missing for three weeks but was found dead in her adoptive mother's backyard in Denpasar on Wednesday. The story of the girl's death has invoked nationwide sympathy as it broke amid allegations that she had been mistreated by her adoptive mother. (JP/Zul Trio Anggono)
The police in Denpasar, Bali, have yet to name another suspect in the murder of 8-year-old Engeline (not Angeline as previously reported) Margret Megawe but said that the forensic team had found a spot of blood in the bedroom of her adoptive mother Margreit Megawe.
Denpasar Police Chief Sr. Comr. Anak Agung Made Sudana said on Friday evening that the blood spot was found in a tissue in the room. Another spot was also found in the room of the only suspect so far, Agustinus 'Agus' Tai Hamdamai.
'Yes, we found a blood spot in Margreit's room. A DNA test is being held to check whether it is identical to Engeline's blood or not,' he said, adding that the blood spot had been sent to Jakarta for the tests.
Margreit has not yet been named as a suspect as police have insufficient evidence to do so. Margreit and her two other daughters were further questioned by the police on Friday, but were allowed to go home at around 8 p.m. local time.
'Margreit is still being questioned as a witness,' Sudana said after a special meeting held to discuss the case on Friday.
As of Friday, he said, 13 witnesses had been examined since Engeline's body was found buried in her backyard, the witnesses include Margreit and her daughters.
The National Commission for Child Protection (Komnas PA) chairman Arist Merdeka Sirait urged the Bali Police to intensify the investigation to develop the case.
'The investigation should be developed, beyond one suspect. This was an evil conspiracy that was committed by people close to the victim. I feel sure that this is a conspiracy and was not committed by only one person,' Arist said after meeting the forensic team and the biological parents of Engeline at Sanglah Morgue, Denpasar, on Friday.
Arist, who had met and talked to suspect Agus when the former visited Engeline's house while she was still missing, said he believed there were other perpetrators apart from Agus.
The biological father and mother of Engeline, Rosidik and Hamidah, went to Sanglah Morgue on Friday, where the body of Engeline is being stored. They went to undergo DNA testing, to prove they are the biological parents of the girl.
The DNA test is needed so the parents will be allowed to take Engeline's body to their hometown in Banyuwangi, East Java, for the funeral. 'We hope we can take the body soon,' Rosidik said.
Rosidik hoped that the murder of his daughter could be solved soon. 'We hope the perpetrators will be punished accordingly,' he said.
Engeline was adopted by Margreit Megawe eight years ago, based only on a notary certificate, three days after she was born. Both Hamidah and Rosidik agreed to give Engeline up for adoption because they could not pay for the hospital expenses for delivering Engeline.
It was Margreit who paid a total of Rp 1.8 million (US$134.82) for the delivery fees and Hamidah's medical treatment. 'I expected that Engeline would get better parenting and education then,' said Rosidik, adding that Margreit promised them that she would give Engeline a proper education and treat her like her own biological daughter.
Meanwhile, joint prayers were conducted in SDN 12 Sanur elementary school, where Engeline studied. Dressed in traditional Balinese attire, hundreds of students of the school said their prayers before a graduation ceremony was held at the school.
In a related development, Maria Kadokang Madik, 60, the mother of Agus, the chief suspect, apologized on behalf of herself and her extended family for what her son is alleged to have done.
'I can only ask for forgiveness for what Agus has done, as a mother I am really sad knowing that. I hope the victim's family will forgive my son,' Maria told reporters on Friday.
