Nurjilya Abdullah, a 10-year-old girl from Sepanggar, Sabah, went missing early on July 13, 2026, after leaving home at about 5 a.m. [1, 2, 3] Her decomposed body was discovered on the evening of July 16 on a hillside covered in dense vegetation close to a house under construction in Kampung Numbak, Sabah [1, 2, 3]. Nurjilya’s mother identified the body by the clothes she was last seen wearing [1, 2, 3].
A post-mortem examination determined that Nurjilya died from blunt force trauma to the face and back of the head caused by a hard object [1, 2, 3]. Police have arrested two men, ages 39 and 42, who live in the same village to assist with the murder investigation [1, 2, 3]. The case is being investigated as a murder under Section 302 of the Penal Code [1, 3].
Nurjilya’s mother, Normaida Husin, described her as a gentle and obedient child who loved reciting the Quran, never missed prayers, and played often with her younger siblings. She said, "I never stopped praying. Every day, I mentioned my daughter Nurjilya’s name and asked Allah to show me where she was. In the end, Allah answered my prayers... my daughter’s body was found." [2]
Police are continuing their investigations, including taking witness statements and gathering evidence, but have not revealed a motive for the killing [1, 3]. Nurjilya’s disappearance prompted searches by police and the public before the tragic discovery three days later [2, 3].
Separately, on July 10, authorities apprehended a suspect linked to a gang robbery from March 2024 in Jalan Dua, Cheras, following an investigation by Cheras district police [4]. A man was arrested on July 14 after threatening a Malaysia Border Control officer at Port Klang; police said the officer was carrying out routine procedures when the incident occurred [5]. In Rawang, another man was arrested July 16 for allegedly attacking two neighbors on July 11 while intoxicated [6].
A 17-year-old girl, Norziah Jorhan, has been missing since July 13 from Pandan Jaya Flats; police have called on the public for help in her case [7].
Police say they will continue interrogations of the two men held in connection with Nurjilya’s death. The suspects were placed in remand on July 17 as investigations proceed [1, 2, 3].
