Family of man jailed for 8-month-old son's death still in disbelief, says he was a 'timid man'

The family of Neo Jia Ming, who was jailed on Oct. 21 with his wife for the fatal abuse of their eight-month-old son, expressed shock and disbelief over the details heard in court.

For almost the entirety of baby Trevor's life, his parents frequently smothered and shook him to stop him from crying.

On Sep. 2, 2024, Trevor's mother Chloe Gan suffocated him using her hands and flipped him in his cot, resulting in his death. Neo, who witnessed this, did not do anything to stop it.

After both pleaded guilty, Gan, 23, was sentenced to 15 years and 3 months in jail, while Neo, 27, was sentenced to 16 years in jail.

At the end of the hearing, their lawyers requested that both their parents be allowed to speak to them, and the judge granted this.

Speaking to reporters outside the Supreme Court afterwards, Neo's mother and elder sister said they remember Trevor as a very good boy.

"He always wanted hugs, and we have never heard him cry."

Convicted

Neo's family described Neo as a timid person who dearly loved his wife, Shin Min Daily News reported.

"I think of him as a timid person, so when I learnt what happened, I completely could not believe he did this," his sister said in Mandarin. "We all felt very shocked."

Neo was also convicted for domestic abuse against Gan, including punching her more than 10 times in the head after an argument.

However, his sister said she had never noticed any signs of violence or trouble in the couple's relationship, nor any marks on Gan, according to CNA.

Instead, Neo appeared devoted to his wife, she observed.

He used to work as a pet groomer and food delivery rider, the family shared.

His sister added that he would sometimes ask her for help, and she would give him money.

Conversation

When Neo and Gan visited Neo's mother with the baby, they appeared happy, the mother said.

Although she saw nothing worrying about their behaviour, they would tell her they were exhausted, CNA reported.

They did not visit her at her place with Trevor often because their schedules often did not align, she said.

During the sentencing, the judge noted that the couple was not left on their own to take care of Trevor as they seemed well supported by family members.

Neo's mother added that the last time she saw Trevor was in the final weeks of his life. She did not see any signs of abuse then.

Neo's family also shared with reporters about the conversation they had with Neo after the hearing.

He told them he hoped to continue studying while in prison, and his mother encouraged him to work hard.

As for Gan's parents, they appeared to console their daughter as they talked to her, often reaching through a partition to touch her gently. She was seen crying when the judge read out the sentences.