Maid gets jail sentence for biting baby who refused to sleep

SINGAPORE — Feeling frustrated when a baby under her care would not go to sleep, a maid bit the little girl's left forearm, causing a bruise.

Masita Khoridaturochmah, 33, was sentenced to six months' jail on Tuesday (April 4) after she pleaded guilty to one count of ill-treating the infant, who was one year and two months' old at the time.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Louis Ngia said that the Indonesian started working for the victim's mother in 2021. Masita's duties including caring for the victim and her twin sister.

The maid was at home with the children on May 26, 2022 when she tried but failed to put the victim to sleep.

She then bit the child's left forearm once, causing a bruise that the mother spotted when she came home later that day.

She confronted Masita who initially denied hurting the child but admitted to her offence later.

The mother alerted the police before taking the baby to see a doctor. The little girl was then found with teeth marks and a bruise on her left forearm.

On Tuesday, the DPP asked for Masita to be given between eight and nine months' jail, stressing that the victim was unable to tell anyone about her ordeal due to her age.

He also said that Masita had abused her position of trust and had targeted a vulnerable victim.

Defence lawyer Kyle Chong, who pleaded for a two-month jail term, told District Judge Tan Jen Tse that Masita is remorseful and that the injury caused was superficial.

Masita's bail was set at $10,000 on Tuesday, and she is expected to surrender herself at the State Courts on April 11 to begin her sentence.

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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.