Singapore—A man and woman have been charged with the murder of their daughter, a toddler at the time of her death. Although she is said to have been killed way back in 2014, her remains were only found last Tuesday, September 10.

The couple, who lived at Block 52 Chin Swee Road, remain unnamed due to a gag order. They reportedly have three other children.

On September 17, the couple appeared in court and were charged with one count of murder.

The day before the remains of the child were found, the woman had already been given a jail sentence 5 years and two months after her guilty plea to one charge of theft and three counts related to drugs.

According to the police, a call for help reached them at around 8:30 in the evening of September 10.

The couple’s neighbors had reported that there was a strong smell like “something rotting” in the corridor of their unit for several days prior to September 10th.

When the police inspected the unit, they found human remains there.

In a press statement the police said,”Police have established that the remains are that of a two-and-a-half-year-old female toddler.”

The remains found were originally reported to be believed to be that of a foetus.

The child’s 31-year-old father and the 30-year-old mother have been detained in jail on other charges since June 2018, and are believed to have killed their child sometime before they were remanded.

Chinese daily Lianhe Wanbao reported that police were seen at the unit with a bag and a metal pot.

On September 13, TISG reported, “According to the Chinese daily, a strong odour emanated from a unit that is occupied by two brothers. The New Paper reported that the odour was present for as long as two weeks before the police arrived to investigate. One resident told the publication:

‘I don’t know how to describe it, but the smell was unsettling. It is something I have never smelled before.’

Reporters from the New Paper who visited the unit saw that the flat appeared empty and had been padlocked shut with a thick chain. A red book with religious text was seen resting on the top frame of the gate.

Another resident told the publication that the unit was occupied by a couple with young children who had moved out sometime in the first half of the year. She said:

‘A slightly plump man who looked to be in his 30s moved in four months ago and he lives by himself. Whenever I walked past, his gate and door would be open, and he would often be watching television and laughing loudly to himself.’

According to the Chinese daily, police officers were at the scene for about six hours on Thursday before finally leaving the one-room rental unit with a metal pot and bag.”

If the child’s parents are found guilty of murder they can receive the death penalty, or be given a life imprisonment sentence and be caned.

The couple will be back in court on September 24./ TISG

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Police looking for married couple after charred foetus found in metal pot in HDB flat