Maid accused of rash act in River Valley accident to claim trial

Editor's note: Details identifying the victim and her family members in this story have been removed due to a gag order imposed by the court on Oct 15, 2025.

An Indonesian maid intends to claim trial over the death of her then employer's four-year-old daughter, who was killed in a traffic accident near River Valley Road.

Lilyana Eva was charged on Nov 6, 2024, with causing grievous hurt by a rash act.

The 32-year-old is accused of failing to ensure the safety of a four-year-old girl, who was crossing a road, Institution Hill, at an unsignalised junction.

Lilyana is said to have failed to hold on to the girl as the child crossed the road shortly before 5pm on Jan 23, 2024. The victim was hit by a car whose driver had only one second to react.

On Jan 8, the maid's defence lawyer Lolita Andrew asked for her client's case to be adjourned for a trial conference. The case will next be heard on Jan 31.

An inquiry into the girl's death revealed that she was walking a short distance ahead of the maid when the accident occurred.

As they crossed Institution Hill in River Valley, she ran ahead of the maid.

The girl, who was just 1m tall, was completely obscured by a stationary vehicle nearby. Coroner Eddy Tham found that the car driver could not have detected her presence as she ran across the road.

She was taken to Singapore General Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 6.45pm that day.

Offenders convicted of causing grievous hurt to another person while performing a rash act can be jailed for up to four years and fined up to $10,000.