Source: takasuu on Canva for illustration purposes only
After his parents fell out, a 9-year-old boy with autism went to live with his father. However, he was allegedly subjected to abuse.
One day after class, he returned to his former home to seek help from a neighbour and told police he was “bullied by his father and grandmother.”
According to Shin Min Daily News, court documents stated that the boy’s mother was the plaintiff while his father was named as the defendant.
The couple has two sons, aged 11 and 9, with the younger child diagnosed with mild autism. The verdict did not clarify whether the parents are divorced.
The judgment revealed that the mother left home with her elder son following a family dispute.
Meanwhile, the father brought his younger son to live with his own mother.
Two months later, after finishing his tuition class, the younger boy failed to return to his grandmother’s home. Instead, he went back to his former house and sought help from a neighbour.
The neighbour quickly alerted his mother, who subsequently called the police.
When officers arrived at the scene, the boy told them that he wanted to be with his mother and claimed he was getting bullied by his father and grandmother.
The nine-year-old was taken to the hospital that night and was warded for over a month.
In Nov 2024, the father applied for sole custody of both children. Just two weeks later, the mother filed for a Personal Protection Order (PPO) for her youngest son.
During an inquest, the mother stated her son had told police that his father and grandmother were “extremely violent” and that he could no longer live with them.
Source: Marinos Karafyllidis on Canva. For illustration purposes only.
The boy also provided a testimony during the trial.
Despite being introverted, he used words like “hit”, “very bad”, and “he hits” to describe his father’s actions.
On the other hand, he claimed he felt “happy” when he was with his mother.
The judge concluded that the boy’s testimony was sufficient to confirm he had been physically abused by his father in 2024.
As such, the judge approved the mother’s application for a protection order, emphasising that, due to the boy’s mild autism, he is particularly susceptible to trauma, making protective measures essential.
The mother also testified that after the boy’s hospital discharge, his father repeatedly caused disruptions at school and after-school care.
She cited five incidents in which the father intimidated staff and disrupted activities at both the school and the after-school centre.
The father denied the allegations, saying his visits were arranged by the school and monitored by teachers or counsellors. He also rejected claims of abusing the child.
The judge found the boy’s testimony credible, as he voluntarily disclosed abuse, sought help, and cried when seeing his mother.
Additionally, the judge found that the boy’s nightmares, night awakenings, refusal to see his father, and emotional disorder diagnosis supported his account.
Also read: MS Explains: Child abuse in S’pore & what can be done to address such cases
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Featured image adapted from takasuu on Canva. For illustration purposes only.