SINGAPORE, Jan 1 — A 38-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly slapping a six-year-old boy during a playground dispute at Westgate mall in Jurong East, Singapore on December 22, police confirmed.
The boy’s father, Aloy Chua, recounted the ordeal at the Yooland indoor playground to Stomp, saying his son was involved in a minor conflict with another child while playing.
“During the commotion, my son pushed another child. What followed, however, was an act no parent should ever have to witness.
“The father of the other child approached my son and, without hesitation, struck him across the face,” he was quoted as saying by Stomp.
Chua described the aftermath as devastating.
“The slap was not only physically painful but emotionally devastating.
“My son was left trembling, his small face marked with a red bruise, tears streaming down as he tried to comprehend why an adult — a figure of trust and safety — would inflict such harm,” he added.
The man denied the allegations when confronted by Chua’s wife.
However, CCTV footage reportedly captured the incident in full, Stomp said.
The boy was conscious when taken to the hospital for treatment, and the man was subsequently arrested for voluntarily causing hurt, with enhanced penalties applied due to the victim’s age.
Chua shared that his son remains deeply affected by the incident.
“My son, once full of joy, is now withdrawn and visibly shaken. While the physical injuries were treated, the emotional scars linger. He now wakes in the middle of the night, crying in fear, reliving the trauma of that moment,” he said.
The family is seeking justice and urging authorities to hold the man accountable.
“We trust that justice will prevail and that no other child will have to endure such a traumatic experience,” Chua added.
Police investigations are ongoing.
