Man faces 31 child abuse charges
A 31-year-old Singaporean man has been handed 31 charges of child abuse after he allegedly subjected a baby boy to brutal acts over a two-month period last year.
Court documents state he allegedly forced the boy’s head into a pail of water for about six seconds and shoved a milk bottle filled with water into his mouth, The Straits Times (ST) reported.
Source: Natalia Olivera Amapola on Pexels. Picture for illustrative purposes only
The baby, who was between nine and 11 months old at the time, was also allegedly choked, slapped, and suffocated in multiple incidents. It was unclear how the pair were related to each other.
Abuse allegedly began in July 2024
The alleged abuse began on 17 July 2024 inside a Clementi HDB flat.
That day, he allegedly struck the baby’s face and body with a bolster, slapped his face, and squeezed his neck for around seven seconds.
Later that evening, he is accused of pushing the boy onto a bed with “great force”. The man also pulled the baby’s hair, grabbed his cheeks, and even stepped on his face.
In another incident, the man allegedly hung the child inside a cupboard. Channel NewsAsia (CNA) reported that he hooked a hanger through the back of the baby’s singlet before closing the door.
Other accusations include pressing a pillow onto the baby’s face for about 10 seconds, throwing him more than 2 metres onto a mattress, and holding him up in the air by his neck for about 25 seconds.
Final alleged incident at Clementi void deck
The last alleged offence reportedly took place last September at the void deck of an HDB block in Clementi.
The man allegedly grabbed the baby’s hair, twisted his arms, punched his face, and choked him for about 20 seconds.
He is also accused of punching the boy’s buttocks and legs, shaking his head, slapping his face repeatedly, and dragging him by the back of his neck along a table.
The baby was 11 months old at that time.
Court proceedings ongoing for 31-year-old man
According to ST, the man’s pre-trial conference is scheduled for 29 Sept.
For each count of child abuse, he faces up to eight years’ jail and a fine of S$8,000 per charge.
He faces 31 charges.
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