KUALA LUMPUR • A man who allegedly threw his four-year-old step-grandson from the third storey of an apartment building in Kuala Lumpur has a history of mental health issues, his family members have told police.

The 42-year-old man, who is Nigerian, was said to be in a fit of rage on Sunday morning after his family prevented him from raping one of their stepchildren at their apartment in Danau Kota, Setapak.

After beating up his family members, he reportedly threw his step-grandson through a window of the apartment. The child died at the scene.

Shortly after, the suspect jumped from the same window but survived the fall. He was detained by security guards and members of the public before being handed over to the police.

At a press conference yesterday, Kuala Lumpur police chief Saiful Azly Kamaruddin said a urine test revealed that the man was on medication. "It is also understood that he has some mental health issues. No record of treatment has been found yet, but his friends and family have said this," Datuk Saiful said, adding that the suspect has been remanded for seven days.

Three family members, including the suspect's wife, are still being treated at the hospital.

Investigations showed that the man was living with his 49-year-old Malaysian wife and their child, four stepchildren and the step-grandson.

A neighbour, who declined to be named, said she had woken up on Sunday to frantic screams of help from a woman.

"I heard a loud noise and shouts and then the wife screaming for help. My husband went out to... help but when we saw the man outside the door looking back at us, we went back inside.

"I've seen the little boy before. This is such a shock," she said.

Another neighbour, who also asked not to be named, showed reporters the blood spatter on the staircase outside the apartment unit, said to be from injuries suffered by family members as they fled their home.

The case has been classified under section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.

THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK