Domestic helper in S'pore pinches, kicks, and pulls hair of 15-month-old boy, gets 22 weeks' jail
A domestic helper in Singapore repeatedly abused a 15-month-old under her care when he could not be coaxed to sleep.
Nofitasari, 33, who only goes by one name, was sentenced to 22 weeks' jail on Jan 26 after pleading guilty to three charges of voluntarily causing hurt.
The Indonesian national was seen on surveillance footage pinching and pulling the toddler's hair. She was also filmed kicking and throwing the child.
According to case details, the toddler's maternal grandfather hired Nofitasari in June 2024. She was tasked with feeding and putting the victim to sleep every night.
The toddler and Nofitasari shared a room in the same unit, which was also occupied by the victim's aunt, her boyfriend, and the victim's grandparents.
To monitor the child's sleep and ensure his safety, the family installed a security camera in the toddler's room.
However, they later discovered that the helper had obstructed the camera's view with stuffed toys, but did not investigate further.
Repeated abuse captured across two weeks
Afterwards, the family mounted the security camera in the room and caught Nofitasari abusing the toddler multiple times between March 20 and April 1 last year.
On the evening of March 20, 2025, upon seeing the victim moving around in bed, Nofitasari hit his buttocks, pulled his hands, and forcefully threw him onto the bed. She then pinched his face and hit his mouth, causing the victim to cry.
About a week later, on March 26, Nofitasari pulled the toddler's hair, grabbed his arms to lift him, and pinched his face. Just two days later, when the victim accidentally touched her leg, she kicked him in the head and neck area, causing him to fly across the bed.
The toddler's aunt reported Nofitasari to the police on April 1.
The court revealed the victim was unable to seek help due to his young age. After the slate of incidents, scratches were found on the toddler's face, arms, and legs.
During investigations, Nofitasari admitted she would "lose control" and strike the child when he was irritable or refused to sleep.
Suspected incidents of abuse
The family suspected further incidents of abuse.
In October 2024, the victim suffered burns from a bowl of hot porridge. Nofitasari alleged that he had lunged forward and stuck his finger in the porridge, resulting in the injury.
In March 2025, when the victim fell in the living room and cried after hitting his head, Nofitasari did not attend to him and denied that a fall occurred.
In the same month, Nofitasari claimed she was cooking in the kitchen when the toddler fell. However, security footage showed she was not there at that time.
Helper reportedly has son of similar age
In her plea, Nofitasari stated that she lost control due to exhaustion and wished to apologise to the victim. Explaining she has a child and already lost income due to not being able to work during investigations, she requested a lighter sentence.
The prosecution sought a minimum jail term of eight months, arguing that Nofitasari had neglected her caregiving duties and that, due to the young victim's inability to report the abuse, the crime might never have been uncovered.
In an interview after the hearing, the toddler's grandmother said that she was heartbroken by the incident as Nofitasari had been taking care of her grandson since he was four months old.
"She has a son whose age is similar to my grandson. I thought she would understand how to cherish children. I never imagined her to be so cruel," Shin Min Daily News reported the grandmother saying.
She added that upon her arrest, Nofitasari told police officers she was "just joking". She has yet to apologise to the family.
The family has since hired another domestic helper but keeps a close eye on the toddler to prevent further incidents.
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