Singapore Father Jailed 15 Months for Holding Karambit Knife to 11-Year-Old Daughter’s Neck Over Missing School
A 46-year-old Singaporean man has been sentenced to 15 months’ jail after physically abusing his 11-year-old daughter and threatening her with a karambit knife when she overslept and failed to attend school.
The case, which came before the courts recently, involved multiple incidents of abuse against the young girl. A gag order has been imposed to protect the identity of the victim, meaning neither the man nor his daughter can be identified publicly.
According to court proceedings, the man faced 14 charges in total. He pleaded guilty to four offences, including criminal intimidation and voluntarily causing hurt. The remaining charges were taken into consideration during sentencing.
Assault Triggered by Missed School Day
According to Shin Min Daily News, The incident took place between September and October 2025 after the girl overslept and woke up around noon, causing her to miss school for the day.
When the father discovered she had not attended classes, he became furious and confronted her. Court documents revealed that he shouted at the child before grabbing her by the hair and dragging her out of her room.
The assault escalated when he slapped her on the right cheek and used a rattan cane measuring approximately 47 centimetres long to strike her legs several times.
The man then returned to his room and retrieved an unsheathed karambit knife.
He subsequently pressed the blade against his daughter’s neck for about a minute while continuing to scold her over the missed school day.
Continued Abuse Inside Her Bedroom
After threatening the girl with the knife, the father ordered her to return to her bedroom.
However, the abuse did not end there. He followed her into the room and continued shouting at her before allegedly striking her elbow with his knee.
Despite the physical and emotional trauma she endured, the girl did not seek medical treatment following the incident.
The court heard that the abuse remained undiscovered for some time and only came to light after a separate police report was made.
Police Uncovered Abuse During Investigations
Authorities became aware of the girl’s ordeal after her elder sister contacted the police regarding another unrelated matter.
While investigating that report, officers uncovered details of the abuse suffered by the younger daughter.
The nature of the original incident reported by the elder sister was not disclosed in court.
Following investigations, the father was charged with multiple offences linked to his treatment of the child.
Court Imposes Jail Sentence
The court ultimately sentenced the man to 15 months behind bars for his actions.
Cases involving violence against children continue to be treated seriously by Singapore courts, particularly when weapons are involved or when victims are placed in fear for their safety.
The case serves as a reminder that physical punishment which crosses into abuse can result in severe criminal penalties, especially when vulnerable children are subjected to violence, intimidation, or threats involving dangerous weapons.