Prosecution seeks 13-and-a half years' jail for woman involved in death of 4-year-old girl in Singapore

SINGAPORE: On Monday (Oct 26), Nouvelle Chua Ruoshi pleaded guilty to committing child abuse, disposal of a corpse and drug consumption in connection with the death of 4-year-old Megan Khung at the hands of her mother and her partner in February 2020.

The tragic death sparked a review of how Megan could have been better protected by Singapore’s authorities, and in October 2025, Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli publicly apologised, acknowledging that agencies could have done more to ensure the little girl’s safety.

On April 3, 2025, Megan’s mother, Foo Li Ping, was sentenced to 19 years’ jail, and her partner, Wong Shi Xiang, was sentenced to 17 strokes of the cane and 30 years’ jail for his part in the killing, as well as for drug trafficking and consumption.

Chua is set to be sentenced on Nov 13. According to reporting from CNA, the prosecution is seeking 13-and-a-half years' jail for her involvement in Megan’s death.

Other charges will be taken into consideration for her sentencing as well. 

Nouvelle Chua Ruoshi’s involvement in the death of Megan Khung

Chua has been a friend of both Foo and Wong. She was present when the couple abused Megan, and even caught some of the incidents on film.

She was with the couple on the day Wong had delivered the blow to the child’s stomach that caused her death, but failed to seek medical help for Megan. Neither did she at any other time attempt to stop the abuse, get help for Megan, or report Foo and Wong to the authorities.

When videos of Foo and Wong abusing Megan were played before the court, Justice S. Mohan warned those present of the distressing nature of the clips, advising those who wanted to leave to do so, CNA reported.

The report added that the videos also showed that the appearance of Chua’s daughter, whom she often brought to Foo and Wong’s flat, stood out in stark contrast to Megan, who at the time of her death had been abused for around a year.

On February 22, 2020, the day Megan died, although Chua saw the child lying on the floor in pain and told Foo and Wong about it, they did nothing. Afterwards, the three adults took drugs together. When they discovered that Megan had stopped moving, they tried to revive her.

After the child’s death, Wong asked Chua to purchase a number of items, including vinegar, that she was aware would help hide the smell of the decomposing body. 

It was discovered later that the couple burnt her body in a metal barrel.

When Simon Khung, Megan’s father, filed a police report in July 2020, Foo, Wong, and Chua were arrested.

While the prosecution is seeking 13-and-a-half years' jail for Chua, her lawyers are asking for a sentence of six years and four months.

Last month, as part of the changes that have come about after Megan’s death, the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) launched SAFER, which stands for Sensemaking Alerts for Frontline Engagement and Response. The unit brings together relevant information from MSF, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB). This process gives child protection professionals a fuller picture when assessing families. /TISG

Read also: The story of Megan Khung: A little girl failed by those meant to protect her