MSF, police investigate baby scalding incident at PAP childcare centre
The Ministry of Social and Family development (MSF) and the police are investigating reports that a six-month-old baby suffered second-degree burns at the hands of a caregiver at a PAP Community Foundation (PCF) infant care centre.
According to a Facebook user named Wendy Foo, the unnamed infant, a child of a friend of hers, was being looked after at the government-run Little Wings childcare centre in Boon Lay on Wednesday when his hands were scalded.
Foo's account of the incident, in a post on her Facebook page, revealed that her friend was initially told by a caretaker at the centre over the phone that someone had spilled coffee onto his wrist by accident.
It was accompanied by three pictures she posted of the baby's left wrist, perforated with bubbles, sagging skin and an angry red burn mark on the top side.
"But my friend (said there) wasn't any coffee stain at all," Foo wrote. "So my friend insisted (to be given access to watch) their CCTV (footage), and the video show(ed) differently," she added, without elaborating on what her friend saw instead.
In subsequent comments, she noted that the CCTV camera had only captured "half" of the area of the childcare centre, adding that her friend has withdrawn her baby from the programme.
Foo also said her friend was told by a teacher at the centre that the person in charge was unable to travel there to speak to her because she stays "very far" away, adding that a complaint was lodged with the MSF.
When contacted, a spokesperson for the Early Childhood Development Agency, a subsidiary of the MSF, confirmed it had been informed of the incident and is investigating.
"The safety of our children is of utmost importance," the spokesperson told Yahoo Singapore on Thursday. "ECDA is investigating, and working closely with the centre to ensure that safety guidelines are adhered to."
Local media reported also that the police have also been alerted to the incident and are investigating. Yahoo Singapore has also contacted the PCF for a statement.
