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.
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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.
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.
Among the 13 charges, 3 are connected to the girl’s death.
The man is accused of:
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7 of the charges are related to alleged abuse and neglect of his children, including the deceased.
He’s accused of:
The remaining 3 charges are of:
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:
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.
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:
7 charges relate to alleged child abuse of her children, including the deceased:
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.
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.
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It was the younger brother of the girl’s father who had been living alone in the flat when the remains were found.
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.
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.
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.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at hello@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from Google Maps.
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