Foreign domestic worker jailed for slapping dementia-stricken elderly woman in her care
Maria Inggrid Seran’s 69-year-old victim was non-communicative and relied primarily on the maid for care.
An Indonesian domestic worker was jailed for 11 weeks after assaulting a 69-year-old dementia-stricken woman in her care, according to prosecutors in Singapore. Maria Inggrid Seran, 34, had been providing care for the elderly woman since March 2023. The victim, who suffered from multiple medical conditions including Alzheimer's dementia and type 2 diabetes, relied heavily on Seran for assistance with basic tasks such as getting on and off the bed and into her wheelchair.
Despite knowing the victim's vulnerability, Seran slapped and hit the woman multiple times on the face, head, and other parts of her body in April 2025, as captured by CCTV footage. Seran admitted to previously assaulting the victim to stop her nagging, claiming that the victim kept quiet due to fear. The judge took into account the need for deterrence, the victim's inability to care for herself, and the harm caused to her.
Under Singapore law, voluntarily causing hurt can result in up to three years imprisonment, a fine of up to S$5,000, or both. The court heard that if the offender knew or should have known the victim was vulnerable, they could receive double the maximum punishment.
Written by urgent.news from CNA - Singapore's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
