Indonesian maid, 29, gets 3 years’ jail in Singapore for abusing autistic child 23 times
SINGAPORE: A 29-year-old Indonesian domestic helper was sentenced to three years’ jail in Singapore on Oct 30 for repeatedly abusing a four-year-old autistic boy in her care. The woman punched the child at least 23 times and also recorded videos of the family’s three children naked in the toilet, sending some of the footage to her husband. The woman cannot be named to protect the children’s…
On October 30, a 29-year-old Indonesian domestic worker received a three-year prison sentence in Singapore for abusing a four-year-old autistic boy. The woman repeatedly punched the child at least 23 times, and also kicked him in the head twice. As the victim could not speak, he was unable to tell his parents about the assaults.
The woman began working for the family in January, and about a month into her employment, she sprayed water on the face of the family's one-year-old child with a handheld showerhead, causing distress.
The woman also recorded videos and took photos of the three children naked in the toilet, sending two videos and images to her husband. This behavior, prosecutors argued, made her actions even more egregious as she was entrusted with the care of the children. She was arrested in March after her employer discovered the abusive content on her phone.
The Court agreed that the woman's role as a caregiver heightened the severity of her offenses. The prosecutor sought a 35 to 41-month sentence, while her lawyer requested two years and 10.5 months. The woman herself apologized to the children and their family, and her attorney represented her pro bono. District Judge Sharmila Sripathy-Shanaz noted that the child's special needs made the abuse particularly troubling, and the sentence would likely have been harsher if the children had suffered physical injuries.
Under Singapore law, ill-treating a child in one's care can lead to up to eight years in jail, a fine of up to S$8,000, or both.
Written by urgent.news from The Independent Singapore's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
