Police, MSF probe alleged child abuse by nanny

SINGAPORE — The police and the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) are investigating a possible case of long-term child abuse on two brothers by their nanny and her family.

The victims — aged nine and 10 — live a few floors below the nanny in an HDB unit in Bukit Panjang.

Their mother said the elder son’s lower spine is now curved as a result of the abuse, and he is unable to sit upright for long and sometimes has to lie down while eating.

The boy sought treatment at KK Women and Children’s Hospital, where the doctor subsequently filed a police report. He was then transferred to the Institute of Mental Health as he was assessed to be mentally unstable.

It is alleged that they were caned and made to kneel on stones with backpacks filled with water bottles or rocks.

The nanny’s children were also in charge of giving the boys tuition. They allegedly threw the boys’ spectacles on the ground and slapped them if they gave incorrect answers.

The MSF said it will provide necessary assistance to ensure the welfare of the children.

One of the victims, the younger brother, said: “They’d make us eat chilli. When we eat and spit it out, they’d make us eat it again. They’d rub medicated oil on our face. They’d make us do squats, 1,000 times and walk like a duck. I never said I didn’t want to because I was scared they’d scold me.”

The boys’ mother said: “When I found out what they did to my children, I felt so sorry towards them ... I found the wrong nanny for them.”

Last year, investigations were conducted into 248 reports of child abuse. Ninety-four of these cases had evidence of abuse while seven were false complaints. The majority of cases involved physical and sexual abuse.

Channel NewsAsia spoke to psychiatrists, who said that children aged nine and 10 are already mentally mature and may be scarred for life by such incident. CHANNEL NEWSASIA