PUTRAJAYA: The teen girl charged with murdering her newborn son has filed an application in the Court of Appeal seeking to be released on bail pending her trial.

       In a media statement, lawyer Sangeet Kaur Deo representing the 15-year-old girl said the notice of motion for bail was filed on Wednesday (March 16).

       The girl was charged in the Kemaman Magistrate's Court on Feb 15 this year with killing her baby at a house in Seri Bandi in Kemaman, Terengganu, between 7am and 9 am on Feb 8.

       However, she was denied bail pending trial.

       Her application to be referred for mental health evaluation was also rejected by the Court.

       She subsequently filed an application in the Terengganu High Court to review the Magistrate’s Court's decision disallowing her application to be released on bail.

       The High Court on March 8 dismissed her review application and she remained in detention.

       The High Court, however, allowed part of the girl’s revision application by ordering for her to be referred for psychiatric evaluation.

       The teen was charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code with murder, which carries the death penalty if convicted.

       However, offenders under the age of 18 cannot be sentenced to death under Section 97(2) of the Child Act 2001 and may be commuted to imprisonment for a period as determined by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan, or Yang di-Pertua Negeri, depending on where the offence occurred.

       On Feb 18, the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) in a statement said that it could still investigate and review the murder charge against the teenager who allegedly stabbed her baby to death, and replace it with another charge. – Bernama