Mother of dead Tampines boy arrested

SINGAPORE - Police have arrested the mother of a seven-year-old boy found dead at the foot of a Housing Board block in Tampines for alleged murder.

It is believed the 42-year-old woman was arrested by the police on Saturday, the same day that the incident took place, at their ninth-floor home at Block 815, Tampines Avenue 4.

Neighbours expressed shock at the news yesterday.

The family's next-door neighbour, who wanted to be known as Mr Tan, 61, said that the family was "very private".

"Our doors are usually closed, but there's nothing unusual about the family. They are quite a nice family. I don't think they beat up their children, there was no shouting too," he said.

The boy is believed to be autistic and has lived with his parents, grandmother and 12-year-old brother in the flat for the past five years.

Another neighbour in the block, who declined to be named, said that she heard a "thud" when she was in her kitchen.

"I was at the sink when I heard a loud thud that day and I saw the boy lying on the ground. Some people were shouting to alert his family, but no one came down until the father came back later and went to identify the body in the tent," she said.

A police spokesman said they received a call for assistance at the block at 1.02pm on Saturday.

Paramedics pronounced the boy dead at the scene. Wearing a yellow T-shirt and black shorts, he was found lying face down.

No one was at home when The Straits Times visited the unit yesterday. A copy of The Sunday Times was left outside the unit.

limyihan@sph.com.sg

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