In a harrowing incident, a 58-year-old man diagnosed with schizophrenia, Mohamed Khalid Mohamed Yacob, pleaded guilty to voluntarily causing grievous hurt to his 78-year-old mother.
The attack, which left the elderly woman with a broken nose, sheds light on the challenges individuals with mental health conditions may face and the potential dangers when treatment is neglected.
Background of the Offender
According to The Straits Times, Mohamed Khalid Mohamed Yacob, diagnosed with schizophrenia, had a history with the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) dating back to 1979.
Initially, he attended outpatient appointments regularly until 2016. However, a concerning shift occurred when he started defaulting on his IMH appointments after June 2016 and ceased taking his medication in 2017.
Assault on Elderly Mother
The incident unfolded on August 23, when Khalid’s mother retired to bed in their Woodlands flat around 10 pm, while he rested on the sofa. Approximately 10 minutes later, Khalid inexplicably decided to assault his mother. He approached her bed, woke her, and forcefully pulled her to sit upright.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Kelly Ng described the horrifying scene: “The accused then used his fist to punch the victim in the face multiple times… The victim cried in pain, but the accused continued to punch her.” The elderly woman, in distress, managed to escape the flat and seek help from a neighbor, who promptly alerted the police.
Contributory Link to Mental Condition
An assessment by an IMH psychiatrist revealed that Khalid’s schizophrenia had relapsed at the time of the attack. The psychiatrist noted a contributory link between Khalid’s mental condition and the assault. Auditory hallucinations and persecutory delusions were cited as contributing factors to his violent actions.
Legal Consequences and Sentencing
On December 12, Mohamed Khalid Mohamed Yacob pleaded guilty to voluntarily causing grievous hurt to his mother. He was subsequently sentenced to seven months’ jail, reflecting the severity of the assault and the potential dangers posed when mental health treatment is neglected.