{
  "id": 10930089,
  "title": "S'pore man, 37, slaps boy, 4, for pointing middle finger, threatens to break finger, says he will return on Monday",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/spore-man-37-slaps-boy-4-for-pointing-middle-finger-threatens-to",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-30T11:48:52.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Mothership",
    "slug": "mothership",
    "url": "https://mothership.sg/2026/09/man-slaps-boy/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On March 6, a 37-year-old man named Muhammad Firdhaus Mokhtar approached a preschool to collect his four-year-old son. The incident occurred around noon. While the boys were engaged in a game of catch, the victim directed his middle finger at Firdhaus. In response, the father grabbed the child's arm, threatening to slap him. The youngster attempted to hide behind a pillar, but Firdhaus pulled him out by his collar and struck him on both cheeks and his ear, causing the child to fall to the ground and experience a ringing in his ear, according to The Straits Times. The helper attempted to intervene, but Firdhaus held onto the boy's arm. He threatened to break the child's finger and vowed to return on Monday, before dragging the boy backwards, leading to the child stumbling. He then departed. The child was later discovered to have bruises on both cheeks and was released with a five-day course of paracetamol for pain relief, as reported by CNA. Following the incident, the child has experienced nightmares, constantly inquiring with his mother if Monday had arrived and fearing returning to school. Consequently, his parents transferred him to a different institution. At a court hearing on September 30, Firdhaus pleaded guilty to one count each of causing hurt and using criminal force on a minor, with a third charge considered. According to The Straits Times, he was sentenced to 14 weeks in prison and ordered to pay S$170 in compensation to the victim's mother, covering the cost of medical bills. The victim's mother, who attended the proceedings, expressed that the threat of breaking her son's finger and the promise to return on Monday were new information to her. She stated that while an apology cannot erase the incident or restore her son's sense of security, it is significant to their family. Firdhaus subsequently apologized to the victim's family and everyone present in court.",
  "summary": "The boy experienced ringing in his ear.",
  "key_points": [
    "37-year-old Muhammad Firdhaus Mokhtar slapped 4-year-old boy for pointing middle finger.",
    "Firdhaus threatened to break child's finger and return on Monday.",
    "Child suffered bruises, nightmares, and transferred to new school after incident."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}