In a heart-wrenching tale of unimaginable cruelty, a 34-year-old man subjected his two-month-old daughter and two-year-old son to severe physical ill-treatment, causing grievous injuries and lifelong trauma.
By cunningly instigating his wife to lie to the police, he managed to conceal his heinous crimes for a while. However, justice caught up with him as he was sentenced to 10 years and four weeks’ jail, along with 12 strokes of the cane, according to Channel NewsAsia.
What happened?
The tragic story begins in May 2018 when the man, whose identity cannot be revealed due to a court order protecting the identities of the victims, unleashed his violent rage upon his two-month-old daughter.
Frustrated with her cries, he shook her violently, causing a skull fracture, bleeding on the surface of her brain, two fractured ribs, and bleeding in her eyes.
The injuries were a result of the infamous “shaken baby syndrome,” which is a form of ill-treatment that can have life-altering consequences.
When the man’s wife returned from the shower to find the baby in distress, she took immediate action, taking the child to the hospital the next day.
The man, fearing the repercussions, deceived the police by denying knowledge of how the injuries occurred and providing false explanations, suggesting the injuries might have come from a bed bug or mosquito bite.
He cunningly shifted blame onto another child, accusing them of being responsible for the injuries.
Fortunately, the truth came to light when medical professionals identified the injuries as non-accidental, leading to the involvement of the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF).
In August 2018, the baby was placed in foster care, and in September 2019, the couple’s son, born after the incident, was also placed in foster care. Despite the intervention, the children were allowed to spend weekends with their parents.
Repeated violence on his son
In September 2021, the man subjected his two-year-old son to a similar burst of violence. The young boy, expressing reluctance to stay at his parents’ flat, faced the wrath of his father’s anger.
The man repeatedly shoved the child’s head, causing him to fall repeatedly and vomit. The boy developed seizures, and his father’s attempts at CPR only heightened the severity of the situation.
Following his arrest, the man underwent a mental health assessment, which revealed that he did not suffer from any mental illness. However, the assessment indicated that he lacked insight into his behavior and had a poor understanding of a child’s cognitive maturity and emotional needs.
Additionally, he displayed a tendency to downplay his actions and seemed unaware of appropriate disciplinary methods for children.
Court proceedings
Prosecutors demanded justice for the innocent victims and sought a sentence of between 10 years and four weeks to 11 years and six weeks, along with 12 strokes of the cane. They emphasized the need to send a clear message that the law would not tolerate parents inflicting violence on their children.