AGC Says Father Also Faces 13 Other Charges, But Applies To Discharge Mother’s Murder Charge
In Sep 2019, a foul smell bothered the residents at Block 52, Chin Swee Road.
Upon police investigations, the remains of a 2-year-old girl were found in a 1-room rental flat.
More shockingly, they were supposedly found burnt in a metal pot.
Photo for illustration purposes only.
Source
More than a year after the grisly find, it’s been confirmed that charges against the girl’s biological father will proceed, and he’ll be charged with murder.
The girl’s biological mother on the other hand may not face the murder charges, but she’s also facing 12 other charges.
Father faces 13 charges besides murder
In a press release on Friday (5 Feb), the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) confirmed that it’ll be going ahead with murder charges against a 33-year-old man.
He stands accused of killing his daughter, whose remains were found in Sep 2019 at a flat in Block 52, Chin Swee Road.
The AGC also listed out 13 other charges against him besides the murder charge.
3 charges related to girl’s death
Among the 13 charges, 3 are connected to the girl’s death.
The man is accused of:
- Wilfully neglecting to provide the deceased with medical aid
- Perverting the course of justice by disposing of, and concealing, the deceased’s body
- Providing false information to a public servant on the deceased’s whereabouts
Photo of rental flat corridor for illustration purposes only.
Source
7 charges relate to alleged child abuse & neglect
7 of the charges are related to alleged abuse and neglect of his children, including the deceased.
He’s accused of:
- 3 counts of abusing 3 of his children (including the deceased) over a time period of 9-12 months
- 4 counts of wilfully neglecting 4 of his children by leaving them without adult supervision, adequate food or water over 2 days
The remaining 3 charges are of:
- Rioting
- Repeat drug consumption
- Failing to return to an approved (drug treatment/rehabilitation institution)
Father’s 13 charges to be put on hold
The AGC said the 13 abovementioned charges will be stood down while the murder charge is being dealt with.
That means the charges will be put on hold temporarily.
Prosecutors may revisit these charges later, and decide whether they want to:
- Proceed with them
- Take them into consideration during sentencing for the murder charge, or
- Withdraw them
AGC applies to discharge mother’s murder charge
As for the girl’s mother, who is now 32 years old, it was previously reported that she would also be charged with murder.
However, the AGC applied to discharge the murder charge on Friday (5 Feb), meaning she won’t be charged with murder as of now.
But it’s a discharge not amounting to an acquittal, which means prosecutors may still go after her for murder in the future.
Because of that, her defence lawyer has objected to the AGC’s application. He’s seeking a discharge amounting to an acquittal instead.
If given, that means she won’t be able to be charged for murder in this case.
The case has been adjourned to 2 Mar, and the lawyer will be making representations on this issue in the meantime.
Mother faces 12 charges
While she won’t face a murder charge for now, the mother faces 12 other charges.
5 of them are related to the girl’s death, and are similar to those faced by the father:
- Wilfully neglecting to provide the deceased with medical aid
- Perverting the course of justice by disposing of, and concealing, the deceased’s body
- 3 counts of providing false information to a public servant on the deceased
7 charges relate to alleged child abuse of her children, including the deceased:
- 3 counts of abusing 3 of her children (including the deceased) over a time period of 9-12 months
- 4 counts of wilfully neglecting 4 of her children by leaving them without adult supervision, adequate food or water over 2 days
Mother faces jail & fine for every offence
If she’s found guilty of 1 or more of these offences, she faces jail and a fine.
The punishment for the most serious crime – wilfully neglecting to provide the deceased with medical aid – carries a maximum 7-year jail term and fine of $20,000.
Even the least serious offence – providing false information to public servants – carries a maximum jail term of 1 year and a fine of $5,000.
Girl died in 2014, remains found by uncle
According to reports by Channel NewsAsia (CNA), the girl died in March 2014, though her remains were found more than 5 years later.
When the remains were found, the couple weren’t even living in the flat, as they had been in remand since June 2018 for unrelated offences.
Photo of rental flat corridor for illustration purposes only.
Source
It was the younger brother of the girl’s father who had been living alone in the flat when the remains were found.
Pot was ‘encased’ inside sealed box, kept under stove
How did the girl’s tragic death remain a secret for more than 5 years?
When the girl passed away, the couple allegedly burnt the body before concealing the remains inside the pot, according to The Straits Times.
ST quoted court documents as saying that the pot was “further encased” inside a sealed box and kept under a kitchen stove.
Subsequently, the couple were remanded for psychiatric observation in Oct 2019.
The woman has 4 other children who are alive and being taken care of, said the Ministry of Social and Family Development.
Gag order prohibits identification of deceased & parents
The AGC has warned the public and the media that the court has imposed a gag order on this case.
This is to protect the identities of the surviving children in this case.
That means nobody is allowed to publish anything that may lead to the deceased girl or her parents being identified – including names, addresses, photos and any evidence.
Those who flout the gag order face up to 12 months’ jail.
The AGC also advised the public and the media not to speculate or make public comments on the case as they may be sub judice – i.e. under judicial consideration, and can unduly influence court proceedings.
A tragedy that can’t be reversed
As this tragic incident will now go before the courts, it’s best not to cast judgement on anybody involved.
Whatever the outcome of the case, it’s heartbreaking to know that a young girl’s life was cut short, and nothing can bring her back.
We hope she rests in peace.
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Featured image adapted from Google Maps.
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