Ex-preschool teacher pleads guilty to kicking 4-year-old in class
The incident happened while she was prepping her class for nap time.
A kindergarten teacher has pleaded guilty to one charge of ill-treating a child under the Children and Young Persons Act, after kicking a four-year-old girl and causing visible bruising on the child's leg, reported Shin Min Daily News.
The incident occurred on April 2, 2024 while the teacher was supervising her class during preparations for nap time. A CNA report identified her as 57-year-old Alamelu Paramaguru.
The kindergarten cannot be named due to a gag order imposed by the court, which prevents the disclosure of any details which might identify the victim.
After disinfecting the children's beds, Alamelu began laying them out on the classroom floor. At 11.55am, she instructed seven students who were sitting in a corner of the classroom to move to another area.
While six students complied, the victim - then a K1 student at the kindergarten - remained seated.
After placing one of the beds in the corner and turning around, Alamelu nearly tripped over the girl, although she did not trip or fall.
In a fit of anger, she kicked the child in the right shin and shouted at her to sit properly. Footage from the kindergarten's CCTV system showed the girl clutching her leg and lowering her head in pain.
Instead of offering care or assistance, Alamelu continued to scold her.
According to an earlier report by Lianhe Zaobao, the girl's father said in an interview that when he picked up his daughter on the day of the incident, she complained of pain in her right leg.
After he discovered what had happened, he called the police on the same day and took his daughter to KK Women's and Children's Hospital for a medical examination.
Alamelu pleaded guilty on July 22, and sentencing has been scheduled for August 19. She is currently out on a $15,000 bail.
For ill-treating a child, she could be jailed for up to eight years, fined up to $8,000, or both.