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On Sep. 10, 2019, the burnt corpse of a toddler was found in a metal pot inside a HDB flat at Chin Swee Road.
A then-31-year-old man, and a then-30-year-old woman, the biological parents of the toddler, were charged on Sep. 17, 2019, for murder.
On Feb. 5, the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) announced they will be proceeding on a murder charge against the biological father of the toddler.
Background
The couple allegedly murdered their two-and-a-half-year-old daughter in 2014, but the remains were only discovered in 2019.
On Sep. 10, 2019, neighbours reported a pungent smell from the unit, and the remains of the toddler were later discovered by the police.
Both suspects were already remanded since June 2018 for other unrelated offences.
The man had previously been charged with drug-related offences and rioting, while the woman was sentenced to jail after pleading guilty to drug-related charges and theft.
The parents have at least three other children.
AGC applied for discharge not amounting to an acquittal for mother
According to AGC, besides the murder charge, the toddler's father will also face 13 other criminal charges, as listed below.
Image via AGC.
Image via AGC.
However, these charges will be stood down, pending the resolution of the murder charge.
A charge that is stood down is temporarily put on hold, but the prosecution can choose to revisit it at a later stage.
In addition, the toddler's mother will also face 12 criminal charges.
Image via AGC.
AGC has applied for a discharge not amounting to an acquittal of the murder charge against the deceased's mother, after "reviewing the facts and evidence of the case".
This means the prosecution retains the right to prosecute her for this offence in the future, if it is granted.
However, the woman's defence counsel objected to the application, and sought a discharge amounting to an acquittal instead.
A discharge not amounting to an acquittal means that the individual may still be prosecuted for the same offence in the future, while a discharge amounting to an acquittal means that the individual will not be prosecuted for the same offence in the future.
The matter has been adjourned to March 2, 2021.
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