Maid caught on camera kicking, shoving intellectually disabled boy, jailed 6 months
SINGAPORE — A domestic helper who repeatedly kicked an intellectually disabled eight-year-old boy she was hired to care for was jailed for six months on Wednesday (19 August).
Indonesian Yuni Suvi Yanti Sitepu had kicked her young charge out of frustration and was caught on camera by the child’s mother, who was viewing the footage live.
Yuni, 38, pleaded guilty to ill-treating the child, who has been diagnosed with intellectual disability of at least moderate severity, global development delay, epilepsy and hypothyroidism. The domestic helper had been employed to care for him among other duties and knew his condition. She had been working for the family for more than a month when her actions surfaced.
The victim and his mother cannot be named to protect the child’s identity.
On 16 May last year, the child’s 36-year-old mother was using her mobile phone to view live footage from the CCTV camera placed in her living room at about 10am when she noticed Yuni singing and posing in front of her mobile phone. The maid was not paying attention to her son.
The mother grew suspicious after seeing the maid shove her boy aside and decided to record what happened. She then witnessed Yuni assaulting her son. She saw Yuni kicking her son at intervals, targeting his face and causing him to fall backwards. As the boy lay on his back, the maid pushed his legs in a rough manner towards his face, then continued to kick him.
The mother ended her recording at 11.45am, after her husband returned home from work.
That night, the woman lodged a police report and brought her child to the hospital the next day. The boy suffered from bruising on his cheek, thighs and abrasion on his upper back. However, these injuries were not attributed to the maid’s actions, according to the prosecution.
Nevertheless, Yuni admitted to the offence and revealed that she had assaulted the boy in frustration.
Representing herself, Yuni tearily said that she had lost the income she needed to support her family. She sought a lighter sentence. She had been staying in a shelter while awaiting her court case and has been in remand since 23 June this year.
However, Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Andre Ong said her offence had been aggravating due to the vulnerability of the victim. The prosecution sought at least six months’ jail.
District Judge Ow Yong Tuck Leong agreed with the DPP that the victim was particularly vulnerable and required the care of the helper and his parents. A person entrusted with such caretaking responsibilities will be firmly dealt with for betraying that trust, the judge added.
For ill-treating a child, an offence under the Children and Young Persons Act, Yuni could have been jailed up to four years, and/or fined $4,000.
Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore
More Singapore stories
Bukit Panjang Plaza, KTV joint added to list of places visited by COVID-19 cases
No evidence that COVID-19 can pass to humans via food: SFA
Man charged for posting online threats on judge who nixed repeal of Section 377A
