Helper to contest charge of committing negligent act causing girl’s death
The domestic helper from the case of a four-year-old girl killed in the River Valley car accident on 23 Jan 2024 now faces a reduced charge in Singapore court.
The helper, who went to trial on 15 Oct, was previously accused of causing grievous hurt by performing a rash act.
33-year-old Indonesian Lilyana Eva is now contesting a charge of committing a negligent act endangering the girl’s life.
Source: Google Maps
Lilyana is accused of allowing the girl to cross a road along Institution Hill without holding on to her.
The child, who cannot be named due to a recent gag order, had then been struck by a car driven by a 40-year-old Australian woman, who has not been charged.
Maid accused of not holding on to girl before accident
An earlier coroner’s inquiry found that the fatal accident occurred after Lilyana fetched the child and her younger sister from their preschool.
She was carrying the bags of both children and holding on to the hand of the younger sister while walking home.
Lilyana added that she was not using any device at the time.
As the three of them walked up Institution Hill, they decided to cross the road.
Source: Google Maps
After crossing the first lane, the victim began running to reach the pavement on the other side.
Lilyana was three steps away from the victim when the car collided with the child, running over her leg and head.
The child died in the hospital that day.
Pathologist says child died of head injury
Forensic pathologist Wu Jia Hao, who was the prosecution’s first witness, told the court that the child died of a “head injury”.
He testified that the victim suffered extensive injuries in the accident, with multiple fractures to her skull and face.
Before the trial commenced on 15 Oct, the prosecution sought a gag order to protect the identities of the victim, her parents and siblings, their home address, and their preschool.
However, this gag order does not extend to Lilyana or the road where the accident occurred.
The four-day trial has been adjourned to a later date in November.
Lilyana, who is no longer employed by the victim’s parents, has been residing at the Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics (HOME) shelter since she was charged.
HOME supporters accompanied her to the trial.
If convicted for committing a negligent act endangering life, she could be jailed for up to three months, fined up to S$1,500, or both.
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Featured image adapted from Google Maps and MustShareNews.
