Maid 'felt like dying' after being kicked repeatedly

SINGAPORE - A maid suffered "unimaginable" pain after being kicked in the groin, chest and abdomen by her female employer.

Ms Juwarti, 25, was left bruised and terrified by the attack, which was triggered when she allegedly failed to check the temperature of one of the family's children.

The Indonesian, who goes by one name, eventually fled the flat and sought medical help.

On Monday, her employer Chan Huey Fern, 32, was facing a jail term after being found guilty of five counts of causing hurt.

The catalogue of abuse began in mid-December 2010, when she punched Ms Juwarti in the eye. Later that month, she accused the maid of failing to check her son's temperature.

She pushed her head against the toilet door frame and kicked her several times in the groin.

Ms Juwarti told the court the pain was "unimaginable".

Four days later, the abuse started again. Chan woke the maid and kicked her in the chest.

She then called her into the kitchen and kicked her in the abdomen, back and groin.

This time, the pain was so severe, Ms Juwarti "felt like dying".

Chan told the maid not to cry out in pain or she would kick her harder.

When she saw Ms Juwarti's blood-soaked bermuda shorts, she ordered her to change, clean her leg and go to sleep.

But the maid - who had been working for the family since February 2009 - could not sleep, sit, stand or walk properly.

Chan noticed this and threatened to torture her if she did not walk upright.

Eventually, Ms Juwarti could not take the pain any longer.

Remembering Chan's threat, she grabbed some coins and personal belongings and left the Buangkok flat at about 7am the same day.

After she called an ambulance, a paramedic arrived to find her sobbing and saying her employer had hit her.

The domestic worker also had bruising around her eyes and on her right knee.

She was taken to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital in tears, complaining that she had been abused.

Chan denied attacking Ms Juwarti.

During the 13-day trial, she claimed the injuries were self- inflicted or from an "external unknown source".

But District Judge Low Wee Ping found there was no evidence to support this. He added that the victim's wounds were "horrific".

Seven other charges of abusing the maid were stood down.

Chan will be sentenced next Monday.

The maximum penalty is three years in jail and a $7,500 fine on each charge.

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