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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.<\/p>\n
Tricia Lee Hsien, a 29-year-old Singaporean, was fined S$5,000 (US$3,900) by a court on Wednesday (Oct 28).<\/p>\n
She pleaded guilty to one charge of voluntarily causing hurt to a minor.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
In February 2024, Lee was assigned to conduct lessons with the victim, who lived with his parents.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
She conducted lessons twice a week in the victim’s bedroom, where his parents had installed a closed-circuit television camera (CCTV).<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
The offence occurred as Lee conducted a lesson for the victim in his bedroom from 3pm on Jun 13, 2024.<\/p>\n
At about 5.25pm, they sat at a table and Lee read a book to the victim, pointing to the words and pictures.<\/p>\n
The boy began fidgeting in his seat.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Lee had been trained to use this method to address behavioural issues in her students.<\/p>\n
The victim did not comply and instead tried to hold the book.<\/p>\n
Lee pulled the book away and instructed him again to place his hands in the required position.<\/p>\n
The boy did not comply and instead hit Lee in the face, causing her glasses to fall off.<\/p>\n
Lee put her glasses back on and swung her left hand downwards twice, in an aggressive manner.<\/p>\n
She forcefully threw the book to the floor, picked it up again and threw it on the table, before throwing it against the wall.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n In response, the victim hit Lee’s face again.<\/p>\n Lee pointed at the victim and firmly told him not to hit her again.<\/p>\n However, he did so a third time and grabbed her spectacles.<\/p>\n Lee took the glasses back from him and stood up. She then grabbed the boy’s hand, dragged him off his chair and onto the bedroom floor, causing him bodily pain.<\/p>\n These actions were captured on CCTV footage.<\/p>\n Lee carried the boy out of the bedroom and told his father that the child had hit her face.<\/p>\n After numerous unsuccessful attempts to calm his son down, the boy’s father decided to end the session for the day.<\/p>\n When the boy’s mother was told about the incident, she reviewed CCTV footage and was shocked when she discovered Lee’s actions.<\/p>\n She contacted the centre where Lee worked and was assured by the principal that her employment would be terminated.<\/p>\n The victim’s mother then reported the incident to the police. The boy was taken to hospital but assessed to be normal, with no gross external injuries.<\/p>\n Lee was fired and investigated by the police.<\/p>\n Deputy Public Prosecutor Darren Ang sought a fine of S$5,000 to S$6,000.\u00a0<\/p>\n He said while offences involving child abuse are serious, this case was exceptional as the harm caused was low and the victim sustained no documented injuries.<\/p>\n The offence was also an isolated act which took place over “mere seconds”, said Mr Ang.<\/p>\n Lee was represented by Mr Low Cheong Yeow, who said his client’s intention was to take the victim to his father, who was in the living room.<\/p>\n “She had wanted to get the victim’s father’s help in calming the victim down, as she had not been able to do so,” said Mr Low.<\/p>\n “That was what was on her mind. And what she did in order to achieve that objective, she had not thought through carefully.”<\/p>\n In sentencing, Principal District Judge Toh Yung Cheong accepted that Lee’s culpability was low.<\/p>\n “The SOF (statement of facts) reveals you only committed the offence after being hit in the face,” said the judge.<\/p>\n “At the same time, you were a behavioural therapist. You were aware of the victim’s condition and could have taken other steps to deal with the situation,” he said.<\/p>\n For voluntarily causing hurt, Lee could have been jailed for up to three years, fined up to S$5,000, or both.<\/p>\n As the offence was against a minor below the age of 14, she faced up to double the maximum penalties.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nSENTENCING<\/h2>\n
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