KUCHING: A babysitter and her husband have been charged with the murder of four-year-old Eric Chang Wei Jie in a case that has become the talk of the town. No plea was recorded from Wendy Chai Xue Zhen, 36, and Ling Kok Liang, 51, when they were brought before the Magistrate’s Court here yesterday.

       Magistrate Zaiton Anuar fixed May 9 for further mention. Deputy public prosecutor Tan Chuan Yi prosecuted while the couple were unrepresented.

       According to the charge sheet, Chai and Ling allegedly murdered Eric at a house in Taman Riverview in Bintawa here between 5pm on March 4 and 9.15am on March 7.

       The couple were arrested on March 9 after Eric’s mother reported him missing on March 7.

       On March 13, police reclassified the case as murder after earlier investigating it for neglect or abandonment under the Child Act.

       Police also launched a search operation for Eric on March 13 after the babysitter told them that the boy’s body had been dumped in the river at Muara Tebas near here.

       The search was called off on March 19 after no trace of the boy was found.

       Earlier, Kuching police chief Asst Comm Ahsmon Bajah said the case was considered solved with the charging of the suspects.

       He said the case was an isolated incident, adding: “It has nothing to do with organ harvesting or revenge.”