Couple jailed more than 15 years each over fatal abuse of their baby boy

For about seven months of his life, Trevor was assaulted by his parents and left with bruises. His father would slap him so hard he left bruises, or pinch his fingers forcefully to see his reaction.

Neither parent intervened when they saw the other abusing the infant.

There were two instances of medical intervention. In January 2024, Trevor was hospitalised at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) for about a week after losing consciousness when Gan shook him. No injuries were found on him.

The second occasion was in early April 2024 when a nanny saw bleeding under the child’s tongue and insisted he see a doctor.

The couple then took their son to KKH on Apr 2, 2024, where a doctor noted local trauma under the child’s tongue, with redness.

The couple left the hospital with the child, and Neo told Gan that he had dug around in the boy’s mouth to stop him from crying, causing the bleeding.

In May 2024, Gan’s mother noticed bruises on the child and warned her daughter to stop hitting the infant.

Around early August 2024, Neo told his wife not to hit the infant at all until after a doctor’s appointment, or the doctor would see the bruises and accuse them of abuse.

Trevor died after repeatedly being smothered by his mother in early September 2024.

His father was in the same room playing a game on his phone.

Neo was found to have no mental illness, while Gan was found not to be suffering from any postpartum psychiatric disorder around March or April 2024.

However, the court previously heard that she could have been suffering from an adjustment disorder which could have had a minor contributory link to the offence.

The prosecution had sought 14 to 15 years’ jail for Gan and 15 to 16 years’ jail for Neo.

Gan’s lawyers, Mr Josephus Tan and Mr Cory Wong from Invictus Law, had asked for not more than 12-and-a-half to 13 years’ jail, stressing Gan’s youth and mental condition.

Neo’s lawyers, Mr Eugene Thuraisingam, Mr Johannes Hadi and Ms Seraphine Loh from Eugene Thuraisingam Asia, sought seven years and seven weeks’ jail.

The penalty for causing the death of a child is a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine or caning.

For ill-treating a child where death is caused, an offender can be jailed for up to 14 years or fined up to S$40,000 (US$31,200), or both.

If death is not caused, the maximum penalties are eight years’ jail or a fine of up to S$8,000, or both.