A 47-year-old Singaporean woman has been arrested after allegedly assaulting her 13-year-old daughter at a shopping mall in the Havelock area following a dispute reportedly linked to tuition homework.
The incident happened on Aug. 12 at Havelock 2 shopping mall, where police were called at around 2.30pm to attend to a case involving a child who had allegedly been hurt.
The woman was arrested on suspicion of voluntarily causing hurt to a person below the age of 14. Police investigations into the case are ongoing.
Tuition Centre Reportedly Contacted Mother Over Homework Issue
According to reports, the incident began after the girl’s tuition centre allegedly contacted her mother regarding concerns about her homework.
Employees from a nearby nail salon reportedly heard a commotion coming from the tuition centre. Witnesses claimed that when the mother arrived, she began scolding and hitting her daughter.
One mall worker alleged that the situation escalated when the woman appeared to lose control of her emotions and allegedly punched and kicked the teenager while she was crouched on the ground covering her head.
A passer-by who witnessed the incident reportedly called the police, who later arrived at the mall and arrested the woman.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force confirmed that the 13-year-old girl was taken to the National University Hospital for medical attention.
Authorities Investigating Alleged Child Assault Case
Another employee at the mall claimed that the mother was initially inside the tuition centre before allegedly bringing her daughter outside, where the alleged assault continued.
The employee also claimed to have seen the girl being repeatedly hit on the head.
She added that there had been previous concerns involving students from the tuition centre gathering outside nearby shops and behaving aggressively. Some students reportedly spend extended hours at the centre, sometimes from morning until evening.
The police have not released further details about the case, including the extent of the girl’s injuries or whether additional charges may be considered.
Under Singapore law, voluntarily causing hurt to a child below the age of 14 is treated as a serious offence, with penalties depending on the circumstances of the case.
Authorities have reminded members of the public that concerns involving possible child abuse or violence should be reported promptly so that appropriate intervention can take place. Social service agencies and relevant authorities may also provide support for families facing difficulties involving parenting stress, education pressure, or family conflicts.