Teacher caught on CCTV repeatedly stabbing boy in the head with a pen
While in the classroom, a childcare centre teacher repeatedly stabbed a six-year-old autistic boy in the head with a pen out of the blue.
She then lied to the boy’s mother and the centre’s principal, claiming he had inflicted the injuries on himself, according to court proceedings reported by The Straits Times (ST).
Defendant was autistic boy’s form teacher
The 45-year-old defendant, who cannot be named to protect the victim’s identity, had about 10 years of experience as an early childhood educator.
She was also the form teacher of the victim, who has autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
He was only able to speak one word at a time at the time of the incident.
Teacher attacked boy with pen despite no evidence of provokation
At about 3pm on 16 Nov 2022, the teacher was the only adult present in a classroom in the centre, which also cannot be named.
When the boy walked towards a table where stationery was kept, she suddenly picked up a pen and rushed at the boy.
Source: SeventyFour on Canva. Photo for illustration purposes only.
She then stabbed him in the head several times, causing him to fall backwards while trying to move away from her.
However, she continued attacking him with the pen even as he kicked his legs.
Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Emily Koh said the defendant “abused the victim for no reason at all”, even though there was no evidence of any provocation from him or frustration with him before the attack.
She eventually left the boy on a mat after the attack.
Teacher lies that victim hurt himself
Later, the teacher sent a photo of the boy’s injuries to a group chat that included his parents and the centre’s principal.
She falsely claimed he had struck himself with toys, causing the injuries.
She said the same thing to the victim’s mother in a phone call.
Instead of believing her, his mother asked the principal to investigate, prompting her to review CCTV footage.
Source: Horia Ionescu’s Images on Canva. Photo for illustration purposes only.
The next day, the principal informed the victim’s mother what had happened, called the police, and fired the teacher.
Boy reportedly injured & traumatised by attack
In May 2024, the woman was charged with one count of ill-treating a child under her care under the Children and Young Persons Act.
During that hearing, it emerged that the boy had suffered three abrasions:
- 1cm-long abrasion on his scalp
- 1.5cm-long abrasion over his scalp
- 2cm-long abrasion over his eyebrow ridge
He was given nine days of medical leave and still has a scar on his forehead.
The incident also traumatised the victim, affecting his appetite and causing him to cry frequently for no apparent reason.
As a result, his parents needed to spend more time caring for him.
Woman to be sentenced on 22 June
The woman, who pleaded guilty to the charge, was initially set to be sentenced on Tuesday (28 April).
Her sentencing has now been postponed to 22 June.
The prosecution has called for two years in prison for the woman, citing the victim’s vulnerability.
Also read: S’pore preschool teacher jailed 8 months for slapping toddler & pushing his face during feeding
S’pore preschool teacher jailed 8 months for slapping toddler & pushing his face during feeding
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Featured image by MS News and adapted from SeventyFour on Canva. Photo on the right for illustration purposes only.
