S'pore preschool teacher allegedly throws toddler to the ground, pleads not guilty to abuse charge

A 30-year-old preschool teacher in Singapore pleaded not guilty to abusing an 18-month-old toddler.

She is accused of abusing an 18-month-old girl on May 3, 2024, by lifting the girl and throwing her to the ground, as well as pushing her shoulder, causing her to fall backwards, Shin Min Daily News reported, adding that the trial began on Mar. 10, 2026.

Charge

The woman, who worked at a kindergarten in the northeast at the time of the incident, faces one charge of violating the Children and Young Persons Act.

A gag order has been issued to protect the victim.

CCTV footage

The incident occurred after the girl had moved up from the preschool class to the toddler class in May 2024, her father testified in court on Mar. 10, 2026.

However, about three weeks after she moved classes, the girl's mother received a call from the school's principal saying that the girl had been abused and asked the girl's parents to watch the CCTV footage at the kindergarten

Shin Min reported that the girl's parents were also asked to check her head and chest for injuries.

Girl's behaviour changed

Upon viewing the CCTV footage, the girl's father alleged that he saw his daughter being dragged by the woman.

He also claimed that his daughter was unable to move due to being restrained by the woman, adding that she also threw his daughter to the ground, causing her to appear to have an emotional breakdown.

Before this, the girl was happy to attend school when she was in preschool, the man said.

He noted, however, that her behaviour changed after starting a different class, when she would cry the night before school.

For several weeks, she would cry uncontrollably and cling to her schoolbag at night, and her parents would have to spend time coaxing their daughter to sleep.

The man thought his daughter was anxious because she had just transferred to a different class and was not yet able to adapt to the environment, Shin Min reported.

He said he did not expect the real reason to be that his daughter was being abused, bursting into tears as he spoke, and the judge asked if he needed time to calm down.

Cross examination

A lawyer pointed out during a cross-examination of the girl's father that on the day of the incident, the defendant sent text messages in a group chat.

She was said to have reported that the girl cried and vomited at school, which showed that she cared about the girl.

The girl's father disagreed.

If the defendant truly cared about the girl, she should have asked his wife to check on her for injuries, instead of only learning of the alleged abuse from the kindergarten three weeks later, he said.

He added that it was fortunate that his daughter was not injured, and if there had been more of a delay before the injury was discovered, it might have been too late.

Top photo via Canva