Witness Yusrina Yahya told the High Court yesterday that the toddler, Nur Iszyani Amylia Ahmad Iskandar, or Amylia, had also been admitted to a hospital before for hot water scalds on her chest and chin. She said she saw the girl's mother hit her twice.

Yusrina, 33, was testifying at the trial of Amylia's mother, Nor Haryanti Nordin, 28, who is charged with the murder of her daughter.

Nor Haryanti, a former assistant credit controller with a housing developer, is alleged to have killed her daughter between April 25 and 26, 2004, at their home in No. 436, Block D, Apartment Idaman, Damansara Damai in Sungai Buloh.

She was charged with the offence in May 2004 and was granted RM2,500 bail by High Court judge Datuk K.N. Segara for "special reasons" in October, 2005.

It was reported that the reasons included an affidavit by the defence stating that there were no reasonable grounds for believing that the accused was guilty.

Yusrina, who was a colleague of the accused, said Amylia and her elder brother, Daniel, were brought to the office by Nor Haryanti on two occasions.

"Yanti (Nor Haryanti) told me that she brought her children to the office as there was no one to look after them," she said during examination by deputy public prosecutor Mohd Nordin Ismail.

"That's when I noticed Yanti would pinch and smack the children on their legs."

However, she said it was normal for a mother to hit their children if they were as active as Daniel.

She also said that in 2004, Amylia was admitted to a hospital in Damansara after hot water spilled on her.

"Amylia had injuries on her chest and chin. I asked Yanti what happened and she told me that Amylia was thirsty and impatient.

"She had pulled a cup with hot water from a table and it spilt on her," said Yusrina.

"On April 17, Yanti, her husband, Ahmad Iskandar, and their two children also came to my house because they wanted to borrow my maid, Salbiah, for a week."

At that time, Yusrina said she noticed Amylia's arm seemed to be dislocated.

"Her left elbow was bent and it looked like she could not straighten it," she said.

"I asked Yanti what happened and she told me that Amylia fell."

Yusrina said at that time, Nor Haryanti was getting a massage from a masseuse and asked that the masseuse massage her daughter's arm as well.

"Amylia screamed when she was massaged but stopped after a while," she said.

"My father also gave Amylia some cakes and chocolate but she vomited after eating."

She said while at her home, she noticed Amylia was very quiet and sat alone to watch television while Daniel played with her children.

Under cross-examination by counsel S.R. Sreedevi Naidu, Yusrina admitted that she was a good friend of the accused.

"To me, Yanti is a nice person and kind to her children."

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Nordin said he would be relying on circumstantial evidence by witnesses to prove that the accused had slapped, pinched and hit Amylia.

He said witnesses would also testify that they saw marks on the toddler's body and that her ear bled after Nor Haryanti hit her.

The post-mortem report stated that Amylia died of abdominal bleeding due to lacerations on the liver and small bowel.

It was caused by blunt-force trauma to her abdomen.

Hearing continues today before judicial commissioner P. Nallini. -- NST