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SINGAPORE \u2013 For no apparent reason, an early intervention teacher at a childcare centre used a pen to repeatedly stab the head of a six-year-old special needs boy, causing him to sustain several wounds.<\/p>\n
The woman later lied to the victim\u2019s parents and the centre\u2019s principal that the boy was injured after using toys to hit himself.<\/p>\n
Upon the mother\u2019s insistence, the principal reviewed CCTV footage, which revealed the offence.<\/p>\n
The 45-year-old offender, who had earlier pleaded guilty to ill-treating the child, was initially expected to be sentenced on Tuesday (April 28). She will now be sentenced on June 22.<\/p>\n
She cannot be named owing to a gag order to protect the victim\u2019s identity, and is no longer working at the centre, which also cannot be identified.<\/p>\n
The child has autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and could speak only one word at a time when the incident occurred in 2022.<\/p>\n
Deputy Public Prosecutor Emily Koh said the woman had been an early childhood educator for about 10 years.<\/p>\n
She was the victim\u2019s form teacher and was the only adult in the classroom at around 3pm on Nov 16, 2022.<\/p>\n
When she saw the boy walking towards a table where some stationery was kept, she picked up a pen, rushed towards him and stabbed his head several times with it.<\/p>\n
DPP Koh said: “During this time, the victim moved backwards away from her, crouched with one knee on the ground and subsequently fell backwards with his back near a mat with his legs kicking, while the accused continued using the pen to stab his head.”<\/p>\n
After that, the offender left the boy on the mat and walked away.<\/p>\n
Fearing the repercussions of her actions, she later sent a photograph of his injuries to a group chat where his parents and the centre\u2019s principal were in, claiming he had used toys to hit himself.<\/p>\n
The woman also called the victim\u2019s mother and repeated the same lie.<\/p>\n
Refusing to believe the offender, the mother asked the principal to look into the matter.<\/p>\n
The offence came to light after the principal viewed CCTV footage from a camera in the centre.<\/p>\n
On Nov 17, 2022, the principal told the mother about the incident and alerted the police.<\/p>\n
The offender\u2019s employment at the centre was terminated that day.<\/p>\n
The mother took her son to KK Women\u2019s and Children\u2019s Hospital, where he was found to have three abrasions on his scalp and left eyebrow ridge.<\/p>\n
He was later given nine days’ medical leave. The victim still has a scar on his left forehead, the court heard.<\/p>\n
According to his mother, the incident had left him traumatised and he would often cry in the first three weeks, especially at night for no apparent reason.<\/p>\n
He became more needy and his parents had to spend more time and effort to care for him.<\/p>\n
His appetite was also affected for about two to three months.<\/p>\n
DPP Koh has urged the court to sentence the offender to around two years’ jail.<\/p>\n
Stressing that the victim was an especially vulnerable child at the time of the incident, she added: “The accused had inflicted not one, but multiple blows… directed at a vulnerable part of the victim\u2019s body \u2013 his head and face.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was no evidence of the victim provoking or frustrating her. She had abused the victim for no reason at all.”<\/p>\n
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This <\/em>article<\/em><\/a> was first published in <\/em>The Straits Times<\/em><\/a>. Permission required for reproduction.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n