Missing Kelantan Toddler Found Dead After Three Days; Parents Under Investigation

The discovery was made after detecting an unusual odor, with the child’s body found fully clothed in the same attire he was wearing when he disappeared.

Jabatan Bomba Dan Penyelamat Malaysia Negeri Kelantan

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After being missing for three days, the body of a 2-year-old boy from Tanah Merah, Kelantan, was finally discovered in a mangrove forest near a river mouth in Kampung Kerila at 4:15 PM on Wednesday (26 February).

The boy, Hud Aryan Mohd Nor Hafifi, went missing around 8 PM on Monday (24 February) at Kampung Aira Kuala Tiga in Tanah Merah district.

At the time of the incident, the boy was at his grandmother’s house, which is located approximately 90 meters from a small river.

When family members noticed the child’s disappearance, they immediately sought help from the Fire and Rescue Department, fearing for his safety.

Search and rescue (SAR) operations continued, but tragically, when the boy was found this afternoon, he was already deceased.

The boy’s body was discovered wedged in the mangrove forest at the river mouth, approximately three kilometres away from his grandmother’s house.

Search Team’s Persistence Leads to Tragic Discovery

Tanah Merah Fire and Rescue Station Chief, Assistant Fire Superintendent Mohd Zulkifli Osman said they managed to locate the boy after detecting an unpleasant odour in the area.

They had already searched the area by boat on Tuesday (25 February) but couldn’t find any clues due to the high water level.

Unsatisfied with the results, our SAR team was determined to return to the location as the water level had receded. We walked through water about 0.6 meters deep.

According to him, Hud Aryan’s body was found intact and fully clothed, wearing the same clothes as on the day he went missing.

Police Launch Investigation into Suspicious Circumstances

Meanwhile, police are conducting further investigations into Hud Aryan’s parents, Azean Nur Atikah Ramley, 34, and Mohd Nor Hafifi Saidee, 34,

Kelantan Police Chief Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat said this action was taken because they found the circumstances of the boy’s disappearance to be unreasonable.

I have directed the Tanah Merah District Police Chief to investigate the parents, family members and locals.

He said there might be elements of negligence.

Although the autopsy results showed no signs of foul play and it was classified as sudden death, police find the circumstances of the child’s disappearance to be illogical.

Hud Aryan Laid to Rest as Father Thanks Search Teams

The body of Hud Aryan was laid to rest at the Kampung Kuala Tiga Islamic Cemetery in the early hours of this morning (27 February).

A sombre atmosphere enveloped the cemetery grounds as family members and villagers accompanied the only child on his final journey after funeral prayers were performed at the Kuala Tiga District Mosque around 1 AM.

Earlier, family members had claimed the body from the Forensic Unit of Tanah Merah Hospital following the completion of the autopsy, after which the ritual washing and shrouding were performed.

Mohd Nor Hafifi expressed his appreciation and gratitude to all security personnel, including the police, fire department, Malaysian Civil Defence Force, and villagers, who had worked tirelessly searching for his son over the past three days.

Social Media Outpouring of Grief and Support

As the investigation continues, condolences have been pouring in for the grieving parents, particularly for Hud Aryan’s mother.

Social media users expressed their deepest sympathies upon learning that the child was born after seven years of waiting and five miscarriages.

Susah sangat nak move on dengan kes Adik Hud Aryan. Ibunya TTC sama macam aku. 7tahun baru dapat anak. dia keguguran 5kali, aku 3kali pun dah rasa berat ujian tu. tapi lagi berat ujiannya, Ya Allah, Kau hanya pinjamkan Hud 19bulan je.
— Cheese Naa..🇲🇾 (@aienRolde) February 27, 2025

In heartbreaking social media posts that have surfaced, the grieving mother had shared several videos of her precious baby.

In one particularly poignant post, she mentioned how she had always been careful to keep the doors locked at home, making the circumstances of his disappearance even more difficult to comprehend.