Helper pinched baby
A helper in Singapore was sentenced to 20 months’ jail for biting and pinching an 11-month-old baby who was under her care.
The Myanmar national admitted to doing so as she felt frustrated that the child would not sleep.
Her actions reportedly led to injuries such as bruising and bite marks.
According to Channel NewsAsia (CNA), the 24-year-old helper was assigned to sleep with the baby and could only go to bed after midnight every day.
Having to perform household chores during the day without any rest, she claimed her daily routine led to her not having enough rest.
Source: Vershinin on Canva. For illustration purposes only
In early Nov 2024, her employer noticed a bite mark on the baby’s left forearm and questioned the helper about it.
When asked, the helper claimed the baby would bite himself occasionally
She subsequently admitted to biting the baby as she was frustrated about his refusal to sleep.
Later that month, the helper informed her employer about a bite mark on the baby’s right forearm. When asked about how it happened, the helper claimed she knew nothing about it.
However, the mother grew suspicious about the helper’s involvement after watching CCTV footage captured in the house.
After a confrontation, the helper admitted to:
The employer eventually lodged a police report on 24 Nov 2024.
Pleading her case in court, the helper claimed she “did not have enough sleep every day”.
However, District Judge Paul Chan pointed out that she did not “need to resort to abusing an innocent child” even though she was sleep-deprived.
Judge Chan also described the helper’s actions as “wholly disproportionate”.
Seeking a jail term of between 16 to 20 months, Deputy Public Prosecutor J Jayaletchmi highlighted how vulnerable the victim was: “He was at her mercy and he was unable to raise any alarm.”
The offence of ill-treating a child comes with a jail term of up to eight years, a fine of up to S$8,000, or both.
Also read: S’pore Helper Bites Arm Of Toddler Who Refused To Sleep, Gets 6 Months’ Jail
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Featured image adapted from batoni on Canva for illustration purposes only.