Indonesian maid, 29, gets 3 years’ jail in Singapore for abusing autistic child 23 times
Domestic helper in Singapore courtroom
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 identities, Channel NewsAsia (CNA) reported (Oct 30).
Repeated assaults on a non-verbal child
The woman punched the four-year-old boy at least 23 times in one incident. She also kicked his head twice during a separate assault.
The child was non-verbal and unable to tell his parents what had happened. Prosecutors said he was especially defenceless because he couldn't speak or seek help.
The woman had started working for the family in January. Court documents stated that she felt tired and frustrated while caring for the boy.
About a month into the job, she also sprayed water directly onto the face of the family’s one-year-old boy with a handheld showerhead. The 16-second incident caused him to flinch and cry.
Videos of children shared with her husband
The woman also recorded four videos and took two still images of the three children naked in the family’s toilet. She sent two videos and both images to her husband to show him how mischievous the children were.
The prosecution and defence agreed that the recordings stressed that her role as their caregiver made the offence more serious.
The woman was arrested in March after her employer found videos and photographs of the abuse and naked children on her phone.
Three years’ jail for abuse and breach of trust
Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohamed Riasudeen sought between 35 and 41 months’ jail. He said the woman continued punching the boy even when he tried to shield himself.
Her lawyer, Ariffin Sha of Shehzhadee Law Corporation, sought a sentence of two years and 10.5 months. He represented her pro bono under the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme.
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The woman apologised to the children and their family. Her lawyer said she had asked twice to transfer out of the job before the abuse took place.
District Judge Sharmila Sripathy-Shanaz stressed that the child’s special needs made the abuse particularly troubling. She said the sentence would have been considerably higher if the children had suffered physical injuries.
Under Singapore law, ill-treating a child in one’s care carries a jail term of up to eight years, a fine of up to S$8,000, or both.
Caregiving can be demanding, but frustration cannot excuse violence. Children who cannot speak for themselves need adults who protect them, and families deserve to know their children are safe.