Serangoon murder victim was friendly, say neighbours; maid to be charged

Neighbours have described the 95-year-old woman who was found murdered in her home on Monday as a friendly person who loved gardening.

One of them, an 83-year-old woman who did not want to be named, said the woman seldom left her semi-detached double-storey house at Recreation Road in Upper Serangoon because she had difficulty moving around.

Another neighbour, who wanted to be known only as Ms Cao, 74, told Chinese-language newspaper Shin Min Daily News: "She spoke only Hokkien and she was a good neighbour with a nice personality.

"She was easy-going and once made a cake for me. Her family are also good people."

The police said on Monday they were alerted to a stabbing case in the house at about 2pm that day. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene by a paramedic, and the case has been classified as murder.

The police also said they arrested a suspect - a 34-year-old woman, who, preliminary investigations revealed, was known to the victim.

The suspect is expected to be charged in court today.

She is understood to be a Myanmar domestic worker who was working in the household.

Shin Min said the victim was believed to have been stabbed with a knife while she was in bed in her bedroom.

Shin Min also quoted an unnamed relative of the victim as saying the suspect panicked after the incident and left the house and later went to the police.

Police officers then showed up at the house with the suspect.

A letter allegedly written by the suspect was found in the house, the newspaper added.

No one else was home when the incident happened, a man who identified himself as the victim's son told Shin Min. He lived with her in the house, he said.

His sister, who also did not want to be named, said their mother was frail but healthy.

She was able to move around with a walking stick, but would use a wheelchair when leaving the house.

The daughter said the maid started working for the family four to five months ago, to care for her mother.

"The previous maid took care of my mother very well for four to five years, but we had to hire a new helper because she wanted to go back to her country to get married," she added.

This article was first published in The New Paper. Permission required for reproduction.