SINGAPORE: A maid who cared for an 11-month-old baby was jailed for 20 months on Thursday ( Feb 6 ) for biting and pinching the boy.
The injury caused bit signs and bruising.
The lady, a 24-year-old Myanmar nationwide, admitted that she did this because she was frustrated when the child would never sleep.
She claimed in her oath that she was only allowed to go to bed after midnight every day and that she was compelled to rest with the child. During the day, she may have to , do house chores without any sleep, she added.
” I did not have enough sleep every day”, she told the jury through a Burmese translator.
Nonetheless, District Judge Paul Chan argued that this did not lessen the victim’s guilt or add any mildering effects to her sentence.
There was no need to abuse an innocent baby, and it was utterly overwhelming for the accused to have done so, even if it was accurate to say that the accused was deprived of sleep,” he said.
Due to a gag order placed in the case to protect the victim’s personality, the person’s name has been redacted.
The jury heard that she cared for the three children in her company’s house, including the target.
On November 6, 2024, her firm initially noticed a bite mark on the mother’s left arm.
When the lady was questioned about it, she claimed that the child may occasionally bite himself, which might have contributed to the mark.
She later admitted biting him because she was angry when he wouldn’t go to sleep.
The maid informed her company on November 20, 2024, that she had discovered a bite mark on the mother’s right arm while taking him bath.  , When questioned about it, she said she did no know how it happened.
The baby’s mother checked images from a closed-circuit tv cameras in the house.
She observed that the girl had taken the child from his cot on November 19, 2024 when he awoke crying. The girl was spotted wailing and arching away from the girl.
The family suspected that the girl had pinched the mother’s neck, and she confronted her on Nov 24, 2024.
The girl admitted to pinching the baby double on his waist on the occasion because she was alarmed that he wouldn’t sleep. She even admitted to biting his shoulder out of anger somewhere on or before November 20, 2024.
The victim’s boss made a policeman statement on Nov 24, 2024.
DPP J Jayaletchmi, the deputy public attorney, requested a sentence of 16 to 20 months in prison.
Highlighting the victim’s vulnerabilty, she said:” He was at her kindness and he was able to raise any alarm”.
She added that the girl repeatedly tried to avoid detection by lying to the murderer’s parents about the bit marks and that she repeatedly misled the child.
The girl, who did not have a solicitor, apologised for her steps and stated that she hoped to be taken up to Myanmar as soon as possible to look after her family.
In punishment, Judge Chan stressed that the authorities have held “in no uncertain terms” that violence against children will not be tolerated.
” It is crucial to make it clear that kids are vulnerable people and that they must be given the total protection of the law,” he said.
The punishment for ill-treating a child is a jail term of up to eight years, a fine of up to S$ 8, 000 ( US$ 5, 900 ) or both.