Employer shares 'horror story' of helper who allegedly ran away after 9 months
An employer has shared her experience with a domestic helper who allegedly ran away after working with her family for nine months, warning others to 'be careful who you trust'.
In a Facebook post on May 6, user Ashley Alexendra recounted what she described as an emotionally draining experience involving a helper she hired in July 2024 to care for her infant and assist with light household chores.
According to her, the helper had initially presented herself as trustworthy, even voluntarily handing over her passport to help the family feel 'safe and assured'.
However, things reportedly took a turn within weeks.
Alexendra claimed the helper found the job too stressful and wanted to return home early on, prompting the family to lighten her responsibilities.
The employer said they stopped asking her to cook and tried to accommodate her stress levels.
Then, red flags began to appear.
Alexendra shared that the helper broke agreed phone-use rules, stayed up late chatting online, and became increasingly distracted and careless at work.
One incident that especially concerned the family was when their baby developed a urinary tract infection, which Alexendra attributed to the helper not changing a soiled diaper promptly.
"Still, we didn't report her to the agency," she wrote.
"We spoke to her calmly, giving her yet another chance, hoping she'd improve."
The employer claimed the helper later manipulated the family emotionally, first requesting time off to deal with her mother's supposed liver condition, then providing false documents when asked for verification.
The agency later informed that they had found out the helper's mother had actually been discharged and did not suffer from any liver issues.
Alexendra also said they later discovered the helper was a smoker, which they were not aware of until they came across her TikTok and Instagram accounts.
She said the helper had promised not to smoke while in Singapore.
"She had two phones and both numbers were deactivated," Alexendra wrote.
"She bought another phone after working in Singapore and also got another number that's different from what's provided by MOM."
Despite their misgivings, the family continued to give her chances.
Alexendra said on May 4, the helper asked for her passport, saying she needed it to settle a banking issue, and went on her scheduled day off -- but never returned.
The mother later discovered that the helper had allegedly planned her escape in advance and left Singapore via ferry.
"She's currently with her boyfriend, as we all have predicted," Alexendra said.
She added that they had treated the helper well during her stay, providing ang baos, gifts, and ensuring she had meals she could eat.
She highlighted that the ang baos the helper received for Chinese New Year and Hari Raya were enough to buy a 'decent gold ring' in Singapore.
"We tried to be understanding, respectful, and kind employers," said Alexendra.
"I'm sharing this because someone else might not be as lucky.
"We were emotionally drained. But this could have ended even worse.
"Please don't trust too easily.
"Set your boundaries. Hold firm. Protect your family. Don't wait until it's too late."
The family has since cancelled the helper's work permit and filed a police report.
