SINGAPORE: A behavioural therapist who was repeatedly hit in the face by a four-year-old boy with special needs grabbed his hand and dragged him off his chair and onto the floor.
Tricia Lee Hsien, a 29-year-old Singaporean, was fined S$5,000 (US$3,900) by a court on Wednesday (Oct 28).
She pleaded guilty to one charge of voluntarily causing hurt to a minor.
The prosecution sought only a fine, saying this was an “exceptional case” as the harm caused was low and the woman’s culpability was low in this isolated act of ill-treatment.
THE CASE
Lee was a behavioural therapist at an autism centre that CNA is not naming to abide by a gag order imposed by the court to protect the identity of the victim.
In February 2024, Lee was assigned to conduct lessons with the victim, who lived with his parents.
The victim had a background of Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism spectrum disorder that may involve social difficulties, repetitive behaviour and a narrow range of interests.
She conducted lessons twice a week in the victim’s bedroom, where his parents had installed a closed-circuit television camera (CCTV).
The victim’s parents did not intervene during lessons, even when the boy expressed discomfort through crying or throwing tantrums, as they trusted Lee to manage him, the prosecutor said.
The offence occurred as Lee conducted a lesson for the victim in his bedroom from 3pm on Jun 13, 2024.
At about 5.25pm, they sat at a table and Lee read a book to the victim, pointing to the words and pictures.
The boy began fidgeting in his seat.
Lee then instructed the boy to adopt the “quiet hands” position by placing both hands on the table so he would not act violently or snatch items.
Lee had been trained to use this method to address behavioural issues in her students.
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