2025.3.5 Ex-Kinderland pre-school teacher admits ill-treating children, force-feeding them water
Ex-Kinderland pre-school teacher admits ill-treating children, force-feeding them water
SINGAPORE – A former pre-school teacher employed by Kinderland has admitted to ill-treating the children under her charge, with acts that included squeezing open the mouths of two children to force-feed them water.
Lin Min pleaded guilty on March 5 to three counts of ill-treating a child.
The court heard she had abused a total of four children, who were between one and three years old at the time. Three other similar charges will be taken into consideration for her sentencing, which is slated for March 13.
The Mandarin teacher, 35, has since been fired by the school.
The case made headlines in 2023 when videos of the abuse taken by another teacher were uploaded on social media.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Jotham Tay said Lin began working as a pre-school teacher in March 2020.
Her first victim, referred to in court documents as V1, was a year and 10 months old when the incident happened.
The victims cannot be named due to a gag order protecting their identities.
In June 2023, Lin saw V1’s water bottle was full and realised she had not been drinking water.
She tried to get the girl to drink her water, but when she refused, Lin grabbed her by her arms and pushed her down on the floor.
Lin held the child’s mouth open by squeezing her cheeks, and used her other hand to pour water into her mouth. Her colleague caught her in the act and took a video. In the video, the child could be heard crying, coughing and choking on the water.
The child’s parents were not aware that their daughter had been ill-treated until two months later in August 2023, when the school informed them.
The parents told the police that they had noticed their daughter would sometimes wake up in the middle of the night and cry “no” and say “bye bye lao shi (teacher in Mandarin)”, referring to Lin.
DPP Tay said the parents believed that when she said this, she meant that she wanted her teacher to “go away”.
Lin ill-treated another child in June 2023. He was two years and five months old at the time.
When the boy, identified as V2, did not want to drink water, Lin grabbed him by both arms, turned his body around and pushed him down on the floor.
V2 screamed and struggled, broke free and sat up.
Lin was caught on video remarking in Mandarin that the boy was able to crawl quickly.
DPP Tay said she was still able to grab him and push him onto the floor at least two more times, but he broke free each time. Lin told the child that he could “go to Japan and take part in sumo wrestling”.
Three days later, Lin again used force to get V2 to drink water.
This time, she grabbed him by the forehead and held his head back while she forced water into his mouth.
DPP Tay said the boy screamed and struggled throughout.
The boy’s parents were notified of the abuse in August 2023 and only learnt of the extent of Lin’s acts when they saw videos of their son being abused.
They told the police they had observed that V2 did not like strangers touching him around his head and back, and would sometimes cry and say he did not want to go to school. He would also have nightmares and say “no, no, no, I don’t want” in his sleep, said DPP Tay.
Seeking a jail term of 18 to 24 months, DPP Tay said there was an obvious element of cruelty in the acts Lin committed.
“The children were in distress and yet she persisted in her acts, including one that was so extreme that she poured water down the child’s throat as she was crying on the floor,” he said.
Referring to the defence’s written mitigation plea, DPP Tay said he disagreed with the defence’s point that Lin had acted out of an overzealous concern for the well-being of the children.
The DPP said Lin was not actually concerned for their well-being as it was obvious that they were in distress and suffering because of her acts.
Lin’s defence lawyer Kalidass Murugaiyan urged the court to consider that his client was not acting out of malice or a desire to be cruel.
He said her case was different from others where the victims had bruises.
Mr Kalidass also disagreed with the prosecution, who said that V1 was at risk of asphyxiation.
“The chances of asphyxiation were very low. There was choking and discomfort but not to the point where a life is endangered,” he said.
He added: “It is a very difficult job she does as a caregiver. She did the wrong thing and she will be paying for it with a very heavy price.”
For ill-treating a child, an offender can be jailed for up to eight years, and/or fined up to $8,000.
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强迫幼童躺下强行灌水 馨乐园前教师认罪待判
馨乐园幼儿园前教师涉虐待四名介于一岁至三岁孩童，包括在发现孩童没有喝水时强行灌水，以及不顾男童的挣扎和哭喊，反复强迫他躺下等，其中两名孩童还因此做恶梦。
被告林敏（35岁，译音）共面对四项抵触儿童与青少年法令和两项使用刑事武力的罪名，她星期三（3月5日）承认其中三项，余项交由法官3月13日下判时一并考量。
为保护受害孩童，法庭谕令媒体不可报道任何会泄露受害人身份的资料，包括案发地点。
根据案情，被告2020年3月加入馨乐园当幼教教师，案发时是受害孩童的华文老师。
2023年6月30日下午近4时，被告看见一岁十个月大女童的水瓶仍装满水，察觉她没有喝水。被告为确保女童喝水，把水瓶推向她。然而，坐在地上的女童没有认真喝水，水流到了衣服上。
当被告想再度把水瓶朝向女童时，女童把头撇向一边，她见状用力抓住女童嘴角说：“不，喝水。”女童听后开始大哭，被告提高声量重复指示，继续把水瓶推向女童，后来直接强行让她躺下，捏着双颊往她嘴里灌水。当时，仍在哭泣的女童因此咳嗽和呛水。
同年6月27日和30日下午，被告也粗暴对待另一名两岁五个月大的男童。6月27日，被告因男童不想喝水而动怒，强迫男童躺下，但他却重新坐了起来。被告随后不顾他的挣扎和哭喊，至少两次抓着男童把他摆回原本的姿势，过程中也说了一些关于男童“爬很快”、“可以去日本参加相扑”、“打嘴巴”等评论。
6月30日，男童在被告尝试喂他喝水时，不停哭喊并用手推开她，被告因此动怒，多次用手抓着男童额头让他往后仰。最后，被告警告男童若不喝水，便会亲自喂他，男童听后乖乖喝水。
两孩童父母都未察觉被告行径 直到院方通知
两名孩童的父母并未察觉被告的行径，直到在8月17日接到院方通知。
女童父母指出，女儿偶尔半夜惊醒时会哭喊“不要”和“拜拜，老师”，而女儿的意思是想要被告离开；男童父母则告诉警方，儿子不喜欢陌生人触碰他的头部和背后，有时会哭着说不想上学，也会做恶梦。
其他控状显示，被告在2023年5月2日，强制一名三岁女童坐在椅子上，往她嘴里灌水；同年6月28日，被告也用书本拍打另一名两岁男童臀部，前后五下。
根据馨乐园的指导原则，教师对行为不端的孩子只能给予口头管教和劝告，或者取走他们最喜欢的玩具或游戏，若这些方法无效则向校长咨询。教师在任何情况下，都不能动手。
控方指出，受害人都很年幼，易受伤害还难以表达受虐经历，被告的罪行因此也不易被发现。事实上，两名孩童的父母在事发一个多月后看到视频，才意识到事件的严重程度。
另外，身为幼教的被告违反院方的指导原则，即使孩童感到痛苦仍坚持自己的行为，无视孩童的身心健康，因此促请法官判她坐牢一年半至两年。
律师求情：只为确保孩童喝水 非出于残忍心态
被告律师求情时说，本案与其他虐童案中有意伤害儿童的行为不同。幼童脱水是非常危险的，被告为了确保孩童喝水才会这么做，而非出于残忍的心态，并没有危害他们的生命，恳请法官轻判。
早前报道，馨乐园在两家分院传出教师粗暴对待孩童的事件后，委任独立调查委员会审查事件，被告于2023年8月28日被解雇。另一名涉及虐童的女教师则接到一年有条件警告，被院方革职后已回国。两家涉事分院因在员工培训和监督方面失责，各被罚5000元。
2025.3.5 Woman pleads guilty to extorting money from men in underage honeytrap ploy
SINGAPORE – A woman and her boyfriend created fictitious female online personas to target men, whom they later extorted money from by threatening to report their interactions with purported minors to the police.
On March 5, the 20-year-old woman pleaded guilty to a cheating charge and two counts of extortion.
Seven other charges will be taken into consideration during her sentencing. She cannot be named as she was below 18 years old when she was involved in at least one of these seven charges.
The case involving her 23-year-old boyfriend is still pending. He also cannot be named, as doing so could lead to her identity.
Through their honeytrap ruse, the couple cheated one of their victims into handing over $3,500.
They also extorted around $12,000 in total from other victims, including the father of a man they targeted.
On Jan 13, 2024, the couple created a fictitious persona named “Farah” on messaging platform Telegram.
“Farah” then contacted V1, a 25-year-old man, and they chatted about sexual activities.
On Jan 28, 2024, the offender and her boyfriend created another fictitious persona named “Mooppp”, and engaged V1, purporting to be Farah’s brother.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Mark Chia said: “‘Mooppp’ claimed that he had seen V1’s conversation with ‘Farah’ with the sexual elements and told V1 that ‘Farah’ was not of a ‘legal age’.
“‘Mooppp’ demanded that V1 pay $1,500 to settle the matter or be reported to the police, but V1 said he was only able to pay $750.”
“Mooppp” accepted the offer, and V1 transferred over the amount.
The next day, “Mooppp” told V1 that Farah was admitted to hospital for “anxiety attacks” and ordered the victim to cover the purported hospital bills.
V1 then borrowed $3,500 from licensed moneylenders and handed the money to the offender’s boyfriend, who pretended to be Mooppp’s cousin.
V1 later blocked “Mooppp” from contacting him and lodged a police report.
By using a similar method, the couple extorted more than $11,000 in total from V2, a 26-year-old man, in March 2024.
Some time before August that year, the couple recruited two other people – a 20-year-old man identified as B2, and a 17-year-old girl identified as B3 – to join their scheme.
They then created a fictitious persona called “Tiara” on dating platform Heymandi on Aug 25, 2024.
“Tiara” then engaged a man identified as V3, and they arranged to meet near Dakota MRT station two days later.
At around 7pm on Aug 27, 2024, the 17-year-old girl, pretending to be Tiara, approached the 23-year-old man and sat beside him.
The man later touched the girl’s shoulders with his hand and stroked her hair.
The DPP said: “At around 7.10pm, (the woman) approached the two. She introduced herself as ‘Tiara’s sister’ and confronted V3 for touching B3, whom she alleged was only 16 years old.
“The accused informed V3 that she had taken photographs of him touching B3.”
After that, the woman called her boyfriend and B2. The two men, who arrived at the scene, then pretended to be “Tiara’s” family members.
The woman and B2 then began threatening V3, demanding that he “settle the matter” with them. B2 also said that the police would be alerted if he failed to give them money.
V3 then phoned his 59-year-old father, identified in court documents as V4, and told him about his predicament.
V4 and V3 transferred $1,000 in total via PayNow to an account designated by B2. The offenders then released V3 and split their ill-gotten gains among themselves.
V4 later accompanied his son to lodge a police report, and the woman was arrested on Aug 29, 2024.
On March 5, the court called for a report to assess her suitability for reformative training.
Young offenders ordered to undergo reformative training are detained in a centre to undergo a strict regimen that can include foot drills and counselling.
She will be sentenced in April.
2025.3.4 Teen who sexually assaulted younger sister ordered to undergo reformative training
SINGAPORE – A teenager was ordered on March 4 to undergo reformative training for at least a year for sexually assaulting his younger sister on two separate occasions.
The 19-year-old, who cannot be named due to a gag order to protect the victim’s identity, will be detained in a centre to observe a strict regimen that can include foot drills and counselling.
He earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of sexually penetrating the underage victim.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Quek Lu Yi told the court in earlier proceedings that the offender was 14 when he became curious about sex after attending sexuality education classes in school in early 2020.
He was at home between March 16 and 31 that year when he asked the victim if he could “touch” her.
The 13-year-old girl initially refused to let him do so but gave in when he pestered her. He also asked her to perform a sexual act on him and she complied.
He struck again when he was 16 in March 2022 after he consumed alcohol, as he was unhappy with his O-level results.
He saw the victim studying in the living room of their home and asked her if she wanted to have sex with him.
He also asked her to perform a sexual act on him and she refused to do so at first. She relented when he again pestered her.
DPP Quek said: “She felt helpless and did not know how to tell the accused that they should not be performing sexual acts.”
The victim later told a friend that the offender had been harassing her.
She alerted the police on March 22, 2022, and her brother was charged in court in 2024.
2025.3.3 男船员圣淘沙附近海域溺亡 验尸庭判为悬案
一具腐尸被人发现漂浮在圣淘沙附近海域，死者的身份后来被证实是一名男船员。警方调查员指出，不会游泳的男船员或相信是在爬下船捡起掉落物时，不慎失足落水溺亡。他的尸体在事发两天后被人发现。
死者是中国籍男船员刘桂斌（译音，25岁），他的尸体于2024年8月9日被发现。验尸庭星期一（3月3日）针对死因展开研讯，由于无法断定死因，最终裁定为悬案。
警方调查员在庭上指出，死者生前是一名船员，他工作的船只当时在圣淘沙附近海域停靠，并准备在2024年8月7日晚上离开。
不过，其他船员在开船前约一个小时，在甲板上发现一些衣物。察觉到情况不妙，船长开始清点人数，发现刘桂斌并不在船上，随后通知公司。
调查员说，一具腐尸在两天后被人发现漂浮在附近海域。警方随后将尸体打捞上岸，经调查后确认死者的身份。
根据船只电眼画面，刘桂斌被发现失踪前，曾在甲板上抽烟，当时他手中也握着一个橙。画面显示，当晚8时16分许，刘桂斌将衣服掀起到胸口，随后走到电眼盲区。
调查员指出，根据甲板上留下的衣物，刘桂斌或许是掉了东西进水里，过后脱衣想要爬下踏板绳梯入水拾捡。相信他在过程中，不慎失足掉落水中，溺水身亡。
庭上揭露，根据刘桂斌的亲友，他不会游泳。
调查员供证，警方事后发现刘桂斌的随身物还在他的房内，也没有在找到遗书。刘桂斌在事发前曾与两名亲友联系，而亲友也不认为他有自杀念头或面临困难。
验尸官指出，刘桂斌当天事发时是独自一人，他的身上没有外伤，警方排除了他杀的可能性。不过，没有足够证据判断，刘桂斌的死是自杀还是意外坠下所致。
由于无法确定死因，验尸官最后将案子裁定为悬案。
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