A Malaysian mother has received an outpouring of sympathy from netizens after video showed her cradling her lifeless baby as they were en route to seek medical treatment.
The woman was reportedly bringing her ailing child, born a few months ago, from the small town of Julau in Sarawak, eastern Malaysia, to a hospital located six hours away in Kuching, when the infant was discovered to have stopped breathing at a rest stop along the way.
The baby’s cause of death is unclear.
Video of the tragic incident, which took place on Monday, was shared by a fellow passenger on Facebook.
In the widely-circulated clip, the unidentified mother was seen caressing and kissing her baby’s head. A few people could be seen surrounding her as if to offer comfort for her tragic loss.
The video has garnered more than 1.1 million views and close to 7,000 shares. Its comment section was flooded with words of sympathy and condolences by online users.
Many expressed admiration for the woman’s strength while others prayed that she would accept the loss of her child with patience.
One user wrote: “Rest in peace baby. I feel saddened looking at the mother. She looks so calm. Stay strong sister, God loves your child more. I understand that feeling of loss well.”
A number of netizens questioned why there were no hospitals closer to where the family lived.
A village leader, who happened to be at the scene, reportedly offered to bring the mother and deceased child to a medical centre. He also gave the woman 300 ringgit (US$68) to cover her expenses for the journey home, Malaysian media reported.
