SINGAPORE: Earlier this year, a 40-year-old woman was accused of hitting an infant multiple times on the cheek, leaving a bruise.
Responding to media queries, a spokesperson for the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) said that the preschool immediately suspended the duties of the woman involved and subsequently terminated her employment on Mar 20. ECDA has also “taken actions” against the woman and the preschool, including not allowing the woman to work in the preschool sector.
In court on Friday (Dec 8), the woman said she intended to plead guilty but would not engage a lawyer. She was given a court date in January to plead guilty. The woman cannot be named due to a gag order protecting the victim’s identity. The gag order also extends to the location of the alleged offence. The woman was charged with one count of ill-treating a child.
If convicted of ill-treating a child in her care under the Children and Young Persons Act, the woman can be jailed for up to eight years, fined up to S$8,000, or both.
Read related: Another Kinderland preschool teacher arrested for allegedly causing physical hurt to a boy at Choa Chu Kang childcare centre
A 48-year-old woman was arrested on Tuesday (Aug 29) after a new video surfaced on social media showing yet another Kinderland preschool teacher allegedly causing hurt to a child.
“A 48-year-old woman was subsequently arrested for voluntarily causing hurt read with enhanced penalties for offences against person below 14 years of age,” the police said in an updated statement, adding that it was alerted to the case at about 11.40 am on Tuesday.
Earlier, the police confirmed that a report had been lodged and that investigations were ongoing. Kinderland said in a press statement on Tuesday night that the teacher has been suspended. “The principal of the centre has likewise reached out to the parents of the boy and offered our apologies,” the statement added. /TISG