It is understood that Muhamad Irfan and his seven-year-old brother have been under the care of their aunt, Sapiah Awang, 47, who lives in a HDB flat in Teck Whye estate, which is part of Choa Chu Kang. The boys' parents are currently in jail.
A neighbour said that Sapiah, who is employed as a dishwasher, discovered the boy lying motionless on a mattress in the middle of his living room upon returning home from work at around 2 am, reported The Straits Times.
"She was frantic when she ran to my house and asked me for help," said neighbour Mohd Atatn, 82, who resides four doors away from Sapiah.
The retiree said that he followed to her house and saw the boy lying on the mattress, while the boy's brother was sitting quietly next to his body. He also told Sapiah to inform the police.
The brothers are believed to have been playing police and thief, and had used strings to tie each other up on the night of the tragedy.
Marks, which Mohd Atan described as "blue-black", were found on Irfan's wrists. It is understood that he also suffered injuries and bruises on other parts of his body, believed to have been caused by rough play.
Still, it is not known whether those injuries are related to his death.
Other neighbours interviewed by the same paper said that it was common for both boys to be left alone at home when their aunt was at work.
However, they did not know much information about Sapiah, or for how long the boys have been under her care.
A neighbour who declined to be named said she had seen the brothers playing with each other, but had never seen them quarrel or fight.
A police spokesman said the police received a call at 2.15am, informing them that a boy was lying in his flat and could not be woken up. He was pronounced dead at 2.35am.
Both Sapiah and Irfan's elder brother are assisting the police in investigations, although no arrests have been made. Investigations are going on and the case has been classified as an unnatural death.
