Domestic worker, 29, jailed 1 year in S'pore for slapping & punching 1-year-old baby

A foreign domestic worker in Singapore was jailed for one year after she slapped and punched her employer's one-year-old son while alone with him at home.

The child, who was unwell at the time, sustained bruises on his right cheek and lips.

The 29-year-old domestic worker from Myanmar, Hsu Yee Mon, initially lied to the boy’s parents, claiming he had fallen.

However, her actions came to light when the child’s father reviewed the home CCTV footage.

Hsu was subsequently arrested and pleaded guilty to one charge of ill-treating a child.

There is a gag order placed to protect the identity of the victim.

What happened

According to court documents, the abuse occurred on Jul. 1, 2024.

Hsu was left at home with the sick child while his parents took his siblings to a childcare centre.

Around 6:34pm, Hsu fed the boy dinner while seated in front of him.

When the child began crying, she wiped his mouth with a piece of tissue.

Moments later, Hsu deliberately pressed his stomach forcefully with her hands and slapped his right cheek with substantial force.

The slap caused the boy to jolted to his left, briefly tilting the baby chair he was sitting on.

His head narrowly missed hitting the wall, which, according to the prosecutor, could have caused more severe injuries.

After being struck, the boy began crying again.

Hsu responded by punching him in the chest, further intensifying his crying.

She then retrieved a container of sugar from the kitchen and applied some to his injured lip, attempting to conceal the injury.

Discovery of the ill-treatment

The boy’s parents and siblings returned home around 6:40pm.

Hsu told the father that the boy had fallen near a standing fan in the living room, causing his injuries.

However, upon reviewing the CCTV footage, the father discovered the truth.

The boy was examined at the National University Hospital (NUH) the next day and was found to have a faint red bruise on his right cheek and bruising on his upper lip, with an associated inner ulcer measuring about 1cm by 0.3cm.

On Jul. 2, 2024, Hsu was arrested.

During police investigations, she initially maintained her false story and claimed she did not inform the parents about hitting the boy because she did not think she had "hit him that harshly".

Sentenced to one year in jail

The prosecutor sought a sentence of 10 to 12 months, saying the victim was just over one year old at the time of the offence, and he was utterly defenceless against Hsu.

During mitigation, Hsu said through a translator that she was "remorseful" and that she "could not control her anger", CNA reported.

She pleaded for leniency, citing her status as a divorcee and the sole breadwinner for her two children and parents.

The judge, however, agreed with the prosecution, describing Hsu’s actions as “egregious.”

Hsu was ultimately sentenced to one year in jail.

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Top photo via Mothership reader