Myanmar maid jailed 13 years for stabbing elderly woman 21 times

A 25-year-old maid from Myanmar was sentenced to 13 years jail Monday for stabbing her employer's elderly mother-in-law to death with a pair of scissors on March 4 last year.

According to Shin Min Daily, Than Than Win was angry with 87-year-old Madam Yong Wan Lan for calling her "useless" and scolding her for not washing the floors clean. She worked with the family for more than a year and was alone with the elderly woman.

She took the largest pair of scissors she could find and went into the bedroom where the elderly woman was watching television and stabbed her at least 21 times. The old woman could not retaliate.

Shin Min reported that Madam Yong was stabbed all over her body including her lungs and chest, with wounds as deep as 11cm. Two of which led to fatal injuries.

After killing the old woman, Than Than Win took a shower in the bathroom and left the apartment. She walked around the condominium estate and found a saw from a parked truck.

She attempted to cut her throat when she was found by a worker who tried to stop her. Condominium security subsequently contacted the police.

When the police arrived, they tried to bring the maid upstairs to the apartment but she was unwilling. They managed to enter the unit and found the deceased.

The maid suffered light injuries to her neck.

During medical examination, she admitted to the doctor that she wanted to kill herself but stopped when the pain became unbearable.

Madam Yong was living with her son, daughter-in-law and a teenage granddaughter at Springdale Condominium located in Bukit Timah.

During the trial, Madam Yong's family asked the judge to sentence the maid to 12 to 15 years in jail, reported Shin Min.

They said she was vengeful and had attacked a helpless elderly woman.

The trial was also attended by the maid's father.

Her father told the court that his family has a history of mental illness.

When Than Than Win was nine or 10 years old, she became depressed after her uncle passed away and would shout at people.

The maid then underwent one-, two-year treatment to control her mental illness.

She pleaded guilty to a charge of culpable homicide in the High Court on Monday (July 27).

The Straits Times said her charge was reduced from murder as she was diagnosed to be suffering from severe depression with psychotic symptoms at the time of the murder.

Culpable homicide carries up to 20 years' jail or life imprisonment.

wjeanne@sph.com.sg