Maid jailed for rough handling of toddler during bedtime routines

SINGAPORE: A domestic worker was jailed for 10 weeks on Thursday (Aug 25) after the lady roughly handled the 22-month-old toddler intended for weeks.

Sri Eha Santika Sari, 29, pleaded guilty to one cost of voluntarily causing hurt comprising 5 incidents in August 2021.

Another charge of committing a rash act that will endangered the toddler’s safety was regarded as for sentencing.

The maid started working for the victim’s family in December 2020. She admitted in order to handling the young child in a rough way from June 2021.

This integrated hitting the toddler, moving her ears, tugging her hair, banging her head plus smacking her feet.

She also pushed the child forcefully onto the mattress when the girl tried to move away, or pulled the toddler’s hands and feet when she was restless or did not sleep.

This mostly happened during the toddler’s bed time routine, when the maid was in charge of feeding her plus putting her in order to sleep.

Her actions came to gentle when the victim’s father checked a reside closed-circuit television give food to of his young one’s bedroom on Aug 28 last year.

He noticed that Sri Eha Santika Sari had grabbed the toddler by her arm and upper leg and swung her forcefully onto the mattress.

He confronted the house maid on the spot, but the girl denied any wrongdoing. He later reviewed past CCTV footage, which revealed earlier instances of rough handling.

Videos performed in court showed that Sri Eha Santika Sari had handled the toddler in a rough method multiple times from Aug 17 to Aug 28, 2021.

On one occasion, once the toddler sat upward after finishing the girl milk, the house maid pushed her return down to the pillow and pulled her ear forcefully.

Another time, the toddler tried to wake up while the maid was patting her in order to sleep. The maid pushed the toddler’s head into the pillow and hit her head.

The particular victim suffered pain and often cried because of these acts, unfortunately he unable to seek help given her young age.

After the incident on Aug 28, 2021, Sri Eha Santika Sari ongoing to live in the toned but stopped taking care of the victim.

The toddler’s dad eventually made the police report upon Sep 26, 2021. No injuries were found when the victim was taken to a healthcare facility the next day.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Sruthi Boppana sought eight to 10 months’ jail, arguing the toddler was an exceptionally vulnerable victim provided her age.

The toddler has been entirely defenceless provided her inability to seek help and the girl gross physical difference with the offender, mentioned the prosecutor.

Furthermore, the maid was entrusted to care for the child and abused this particular trust when alone with her, said Ms Boppana.

Sri Eha Santika Sari asked for leniency, saying that a long word meant she would not have to get able to earn money to send her child to school.

“I admit all of my mistakes, ” the lady told the assess through an Indonesian interpreter.

District Assess Kamala Ponnampalam stated that while no injuries were found on the toddler, the CCTV video showed the nature associated with harm inflicted on her.

She observed the offences appeared to have continued with “fair regularity” over two to three weeks, and yes it was fortuitous the particular toddler’s father discovered it before it could continue any longer.

The maid might have been jailed for up to 12 years. She has been liable for enhanced abuse as the victim had been below 14 and the proceeded charge blend multiple occasions of offending.