An 80 percent burn injury leaves a 17-year-old girl in a coma at Fatmawati Hospital after an October 26, 2026, attack in Bojongsari, Depok, where investigators arrested a 64-year-old woman initially misidentified as the victim’s biological grandmother. The suspect is actually the victim’s aunt by marriage.
Arrest and Relationship Clarifications in Depok
Police charged the 64-year-old suspect, identified by initials M, under Indonesian child protection and domestic violence statutes following the October 26 incident on Jalan Hanafi in Serua village. While initial reports referred to the older woman as a grandmother, family legal representation clarified her true familial status to reporters. Ishaq Maulana Ismail, the family’s attorney, stated that M is the wife of the older brother of the victim’s actual grandmother, making her an aunt by marriage who lived with the household in Depok. Kanit PPA Polres Metro Depok AKP Tamar Bekti confirmed the correction, affirming that the suspect is the victim’s aunt rather than a direct grandparent.
According to Ishaq Maulana Ismail, the suspect is known in the neighborhood for a temperamental personality and frequently argues with local residents, and neighbors had previously heard frequent arguments inside the home. The victim had been left in the suspect’s care for approximately one year because her mother had work in the Parung area, and the teenager had previously complained to her mother about the constant domestic arguments inside the house.
Dispute Over Errands and Mobile Phone Usage
Investigators establish that the violence stemmed from a minor domestic grievance earlier in the afternoon. Kasat Reskrim Polres Metro Depok AKBP Made Gede Oka Utama detailed that the suspect instructed the 17-year-old victim, LAZ, to pick her up from a friend’s house at approximately 9:00 AM. When the teenager failed to fulfill the request, M walked home on foot. The confrontation escalated when M demanded the phone, slapped the teenager twice, retrieved kerosene from the kitchen, and ignited the girl’s clothing in the back room.
Following the attack, M initially claimed to police that the teenager was burned because a stove exploded, but her statements kept changing before she admitted her remorse to investigators, telling them she only meant to give a warning so the teenager would listen to her and did not intentionally mean to burn her grandchild.
Neighbor Responses and Forced Entry at the Scene
Residents heard screams from inside the locked residence and eventually intervened as the fire spread. Local resident Martin told reporters that neighbors hesitated initially to avoid intruding on family matters, but forced open the locked front door once the victim’s cries for help intensified. Emergency responders transported the burn victim to Fatmawati Hospital, where she remained unconscious in the intensive care unit with critical injuries spanning 80 percent of her body.
Legal Charges and Ongoing Psychiatric Evaluations
Law enforcement authorities have formally detained the suspect and initiated psychological examinations to determine her mental state. AKBP Made Gede Oka Utama confirmed that M faces charges under Article 44 paragraph 2 of Law Number 23 of 2004 concerning the Elimination of Domestic Violence and Article 80 paragraph 2 of Law Number 35 of 2014 concerning Child Protection, carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The suspect remains in custody while police evaluate her psychological profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the suspect have custody of the teenager in Depok?
The victim had been living with her aunt by marriage for approximately one year because her mother relocated for work in the Parung area, as reported by family attorney Ishaq Maulana Ismail.
What specific legal statutes apply to the detained suspect?
Police charged the suspect under Article 44 paragraph 2 of Law Number 23 of 2004 on Domestic Violence and Article 80 paragraph 2 of Law Number 35 of 2014 on Child Protection, carrying a maximum 10-year prison sentence, according to Kasat Reskrim Polres Metro Depok AKBP Made Gede Oka Utama.
Which medical facility is treating the burn victim?
Emergency medical personnel transported the 17-year-old victim to Fatmawati Hospital, where she received treatment in the intensive care unit for burns covering 80 percent of her body.