A quiet Malaysian riverside community has been thrown into grief and fear after a one-year-old boy was taken and killed by a crocodile in front of his father. What should have been an ordinary morning of fishing turned into a nightmare that no parent should ever witness.
The tragedy unfolded on June 19, along the waters of Lahad Datu in Sabah. The father had taken his young son with him in a small canoe, a routine trip they’d made many times before. Locals depend on the river for food, income, and daily life — a necessity that brings them close to nature, and often too close to its dangers.
As he cast his line, the father noticed the water shift. Before he could react, a crocodile surged up from below and clamped its jaws around the infant. The attack was swift and violent. Instinct took over — the father lunged at the reptile, punching and clawing at its thick hide in a desperate attempt to free his child. In the chaos, the crocodile struck back, dragging father and son into the murky water.
Continue reading next page…