Children Become Victims of Domestic Dispute

TANGERANG, KOMPAS – Domestic disputes between husbands and wives affect the entire family. Children are often trapped in domestic disputes and end up as victims, and may even lose their lives.

This has occurred in several incidents, including those that occurred on Monday (12/2) in Tangerang and Bogor regency. The two separate incidents resulted in the deaths of five people, one injured and two underage children who became witnesses of murder that will likely traumatize them for life.

In Tangerang, an argument between Emma, 40, and her husband ME alias Abi, residents of Periuk subdistrict in Periuk district, led to the deaths of Emma and her two daughters Nova, 20, and Tiara, 11.

The Tangerang Police has arrested ME as the primary suspect and charged him under articles 338 and 340 of the Criminal Code, which carry a maximum life sentence.

Tangerang Police chief Sr. Comr. Harry Kurniawan said on Tuesday at the crime scene that ME had confessed to killing his wife because he was upset that she sold their car without telling him first. It was believed that the argument was the accumulation of a prolonged series of marriage problems between Emma and ME.

The suspect told police that he concealed the knife that he used to kill his wife and two stepdaughters behind a cupboard, and tossed the victims’ broken cell phones into the cockloft.

Based on information from several witnesses, including local neighborhood (RT) head Pratomo, former RT head Al Wanto and residents Ismawadi and Rohayati, the couple had been married unofficially under religious laws (nikah siri) for around a year.

Both Nova and Tiara were Emma’s daughters from a previous marriage. Emma sold clothes every day in Kebon Besar (Batu Ceper), Tangerang and in Kalideres, West Jakarta.

At around 3 a.m. on the evening of the crime, Rohayati said that she awoke on hearing voices arguing and screaming that came from her neighbors’ house. Just 10 minutes later, she did not hear the voices anymore. She said she thought nothing of it, as she usually heard people arguing in Emma’s and ME’s house.

Following the pre-dawn incident, no one from the family was seen outside their home. A friend of Tiara from SDN 4 Periuk elementary school stopped by the house after school on Monday and called Tiara’s name. Tiara did not answer.

The school friend then spoke to one of the family’s neighbors, who then spoke to Pratomo.

Upon receiving the resident’s information, Pratomo visited the house with several other residents at 3 p.m. and found the front door unlocked. They then entered found the three dead victims in one room and an injured ME in a rear room.

The initial police investigation determined that ME had murdered his wife and two stepdaughters, cleaned up the blood on the floor and positioned the three victims in a single bedroom. The three victims were found facedown with their arms around each other. “Afterward, the suspect harmed himself,” Harry said.

The police are continuing to investigate, but are finding it difficult to obtain more information because of the suspect’s weakened state. ME is being treated at the National Police Hospital in Kramatjati.

The victims are to be interred in two separate locations, in Bogor, West Java, and in Sepatan, Tangerang regency. Emma and Nova have been buried in Bogor.

“Tiara will be buried in Sepatan, near her father’s home,” said Emma’s elder sister Ojah, 56, at Tangerang Regional General Hospital.

The post-mortem found that the victims had died from stab wounds to various parts of their bodies, including the heart.

Jealousy

Another tragedy occurred at midnight on Monday in Sukamdani village of Sukamakmur district, Bogor regency. Janeng, 70, and Edi Setiawan, 42, were killed when they were attacked by TS, 48, the ex-husband of Cicih Junengsih, 21.

Janeng was Cicih’s father and Edi was Cicih’s current husband. After assaulting Cicih, TS set fire to Janeng’s house. Early Tuesday, TS was found dead from hanging himself in the shed of a worm farm in Sukamdani village.

Bogor Police chief Sr. Adj. Comr. AM Dicky Pastika Gading said that the murder and arson were motivated by jealousy.

According to the information provided by several witnesses, TS suddenly arrived at the house and broke down the wall. He attacked and stabbed the victims, poured gasoline on them and set them on fire. After lighting the fire, TS fled the scene.

Cicih survived with severe injuries when her two younger siblings rescued her from the burning house. Although they were uninjured, the two younger siblings were deeply traumatized, as they had witnessed Janeng’s and Edi’s murders along with the assault on Cicih.

Once the fire was extinguished, Janeng was found covered in severe burns and with stab wounds in his chest. Edi was found with a stab wound in his head. Edi married Cicih two months ago; Cicih had divorced TS only two months prior to marrying Edi.

(RTS/PIN)