Maid jailed 6 months for abusing intellectually disabled boy

Feeling frustrated, an Indonesian domestic worker repeatedly abused an eight-year-old boy left in her care.

The court heard that the boy suffered from intellectual disability of at least moderate severity, global development delay, epilepsy, and hypothyroidism.

Yesterday, Yuni Suvi Yanti Sitepu, 38, was jailed for six months after she pleaded guilty to one count of ill-treating a child.

On May 16, the victim's mother, 36, used her mobile phone to view the live footage from the closed-circuit television (CCTV) installed in the living room of her home.

While viewing the footage, she noticed that Yuni was engrossed in her mobile phone and was singing and posing in front of the phone and not paying attention to her son.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Andre Ong said: "She became suspicious when she saw the accused shoving the victim aside and decided to record the footages."

The woman then saw live footage of Yuni assaulting her son and recorded the live footage which were saved automatically into six parts.

KICKED HIS FACE

It showed the maid kicking the boy with both her feet, including in his face, causing him to fall back.

Even then, she continued kicking him multiple times.

She also pushed his legs in a rough manner towards his face, as he laid on his back.

The woman lodged a police report at Pasir Ris Neighbourhood Police Centre and also took her son to KK Women's and Children's Hospital to seek medical treatment.

He was found to have bruising on his left cheek and thigh, as well as abrasions on his upper back. However, the injuries were not attributed to the accused's actions.

Yuni, however, admitted her intent to ill-treat the victim and said she did so out of frustration.

DPP Ong asked for at least six months' jail, stating that the victim was vulnerable given his age and mental conditions.

He also said no mitigating weight should be placed on her plea of guilt as she was caught red-handed.

In her mitigation, Yuni asked for a lighter sentence, saying that she would not be able to support her family because she had lost her job.

For ill-treating a child in her care, Yuni could have been jailed for up to four years, fined up to $4,000, or both.