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Down Syndrome Boy Dies in Alleged Bullying Incident in Surabaya

Stateline MEDIA Newsroom•October 18, 2026•3 min read

A 10-year-old boy with Down syndrome died after alleged bullying in Surabaya. Police are investigating, while city authorities provide victim support.

Key Facts

Zulkarnain Abdil Aziz (ZAA), 10 tahun, penyandang down syndrome yang juga mengidap jantung bawaan, cerebral palsy, dan katarak, ditemukan meninggal dunia di teras rumahnya di Jalan Tambak Medokan Ayu XI, Rungkut, Surabaya, pada 12 September 2026.
Ayah korban, Selaras Abdul Wahid, menemukan anaknya membiru dan terjatuh dari kursi roda dengan tali sepatu melilit leher. Korban sempat dibawa ke RSUD Eka Candrarini, tetapi nyawanya tidak tertolong.
Keluarga memeriksa CCTV dan melihat dua anak tetangga berinisial K (10) dan F (8) berada di gang menuju rumah korban sebelum kejadian. Anak K disebut ditetapkan sebagai tersangka, namun karena berusia di bawah 12 tahun ia tidak dapat dimintai pertanggungjawaban pidana.
Kasus ini viral pada 17 Oktober 2026 lewat unggahan akun X @serabutannn. Menurut keluarga dan hasil autopsi RS Bhayangkara Polda Jatim, korban diduga dicekoki cairan sabun cuci piring serta mengalami jeratan tali sepatu di leher.
Pemkot Surabaya melalui Kepala DP3APPKB Ida Widayati (17/10) memberikan pendampingan kepada keluarga korban dan anak-anak yang diduga terlibat; anak-anak di bawah umur tetap dalam pengawasan orang tua.
Sekretaris Komisi D DPRD Surabaya Arjuna Rizky meminta kasus dikawal hingga tuntas, dengan pendampingan hukum bagi keluarga dan evaluasi sistem perlindungan anak.

Found Cyanotic on the House Porch

Grief engulfed the family of Selaras Abdul Wahid and Nurul Fadilah after losing their youngest child, Zulkarnain Abdil Aziz (ZAA). The 10-year-old boy with Down syndrome was found dead on the porch of his home in the Tambak Medokan Ayu XI area, Rungkut, Surabaya, on September 12, 2026.

Selaras found his son turned blue and fallen from his wheelchair with a shoelace wrapped around his neck, then rushed him to the Eka Candrarini Regional General Hospital (RSUD). In addition to Down syndrome, Zulkarnain also suffered from congenital heart disease, cerebral palsy, and cataracts; he was unable to speak, see, or walk.

Went Viral October 17, Two Neighbor Children Allegedly Involved

The family examined CCTV footage and saw two neighbor children, identified by the initials K (10) and F (8), in the alley leading to the victim's house prior to the incident. According to the victim's father, child K has been named a suspect, while child F has not due to age. Being under 12 years old, neither can be held criminally liable.

The case went viral on October 17, 2026, through a post by X account @serabutannn, triggering thousands of comments demanding justice. According to the family and autopsy findings from the East Java Regional Police (Polda Jatim) Bhayangkara Hospital, the victim was allegedly forced to ingest dishwashing liquid and suffered strangulation from a shoelace around the neck. The exact cause of death remains subject to police investigation.

Police Investigate, City Government Assists Family

The family reported the incident to the Surabaya City Police (Polrestabes Surabaya), and proceedings remain ongoing. Head of Surabaya's Office of Women's Empowerment, Child Protection, Population Control, and Family Planning (DP3APPKB), Ida Widayati, stated on October 17, 2026, that the city administration (Pemkot) is providing assistance to the victim's family and the children allegedly involved; the minors remain under parental supervision.

The municipal government also affirmed that bullying prevention initiatives continue via the Family Learning Center (Puspaga) and the Surabaya Youth School Dynamics program. Secretary of Commission D of the Surabaya Regional House of Representatives (DPRD), Arjuna Rizky, urged that the case be monitored thoroughly with legal aid for the family and an evaluation of the child protection system.