ZAMBOANGA CITY – Police arrested a man accused of a near fatal beating of his four-year-old stepson inside their residence here on Thursday, April 2.
The suspect, Jay-Ar Habibon, was arrested after being pinpointed by neighbors as the only person who was with the victim that day.
Neighbors reportedly heard the frantic screams of the child before he was brought to the hospital in critical condition with serious internal injuries.
Hospital personnel noticed that the boy’s injuries did not match the story given by the suspect and alerted police to the possible abuse suffered by the minor.
Habibon was promptly intercepted by responding officers and was brought to the Zamboanga City Police Office where he is facing a series of criminal charges.
The City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) has communicated with the victim's family for possible assistance.