Singapore’s High Court has sentenced a 25-year-old Indonesian domestic helper to seven years in prison after she pleaded guilty to causing the death of a child that was placed in her care.

Richelle Teo Yan Jia, the one-year-old daughter of Maryani’s employers, died in her home in Simei in May 2016 at the hands of her caregiver. According to a court report by The Straits Times, the maid had gripped the back of the toddler’s neck with her left hand. With her right fist, Maryani punched the left side of the baby’s neck. She did so until the infant stopped crying.

It was revealed in court that the Indonesian felt displeased while working for the Teo family since she started in January 2015. Three months into the job, she made several requests to the maid agency to transfer elsewhere. The requests were turned down.

Maryani revealed that she felt afraid of Mrs. Teo, who was said to frequently criticize her work and prevented her from using a mobile phone. Seemingly, the last straw was a month before the incident, when Mrs. Teo scolded her at a shopping mall. The maid felt humiliated, ST reported.

Maryani, however, was never subjected to serious abuse and was given adequate food during her employment.

The night of

Channel NewsAsia reported that Maryani was woken up by a “thud” past midnight on May 8, 2016 — the baby had fallen from the bed onto the floor. She coaxed the baby to sleep, but around 2am later, the child woke up Maryani with her cries.

The baby was fed milk but puked it out. Even as Maryani continued to pat her, the child cried even louder. At that point, the lady snapped and punched Richelle with all her strength, venting out her pent-up anger and unhappiness. Her grip was only released after the baby stopped crying and closed her eyes.

Without checking on the child’s condition, Maryani then placed Richelle back on the bed, washed the baby’s soiled clothes and went back to sleep. The maid left the house later that morning for her day off.

It was about 9am that Richelle’s father came to check on her, only to find that the child was cold and not breathing. The entirety of the baby’s left side was said to be bruised and darkened. An ambulance was called, but by that time it was too late — the child was pronounced dead shortly after. It was Mother’s Day.

Police later found Maryani near Merlion Park that same afternoon and arrested her.

“Repugnant and inexcusable”

Prosecutors dismissed Maryani’s mental condition as an excuse for the heinous deed, calling her acts “repugnant and inexcusable”. A psychiatric assessment report showed that the lady’s mental condition at the material time had impaired her mental responsibility.

The Indonesian’s defense team have relayed her remorse, and stated that the “guilt will remain with her throughout her life even after she returns to her village”.

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