SINGAPORE, April 11 — A Singaporean man who allegedly shoved the son of his girlfriend off a bed, causing the toddler to sustain injuries to his head, was yesterday charged in court for voluntarily causing grievous hurt.
The one-year-old boy is still under treatment at the high-dependency ward of KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
The court heard that Franklie Tan Guang Wei, 24, has anger management issues.
However, the prosecution said an assessment by the Institute of Mental Health found that Tan is not of unsound mind and is fit to plead.
The incident took place on March 25. Tan is said to have pushed the boy off the bed, causing him to land on the back of his head and sustain bleeding and fracture in the brain.
Prior to the incident, a friend of the toddler’s mother had reported concerns of abuse to the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF). A police report was also made in November last year.
Confirming that it had received reports concerning the child, an MSF spokesperson said the ministry had been responsive.
“Our officers had looked into the specific concerns and consulted with the professionals and individuals involved in the care of the child,” said the spokesperson.
“MSF and its Child Protection Service officers are deeply saddened by this unfortunate incident. We are working very closely with medical professionals and the police on the case. We will do our utmost in ensuring the welfare and recovery of the child. We are also supporting the child’s mother.”
He added that the ministry was unable to comment further due to ongoing investigations.
Tan’s lawyer Mohamed Baiross had asked for a non-cash bail for the man, submitting that Tan is the sole breadwinner of a low-income family and had to keep working to support them.
A non-cash bail can comprise of other things of value, such as a car.
However, District Judge Eddy Tham ordered a S$10,000 cash bail, with a S$10,000 non-cash bail, saying that due to the severity of the charge, the bail had to be a “sufficient one”.
Tan was also ordered to surrender his passport and not to have any direct or indirect contact with the boy or his mother, who is pregnant with Tan’s child.
The mother, who cannot be named so as to protect the identify of her child, was present in court yesterday.
The judge added that if the boy’s condition worsens, the charges against Tan will be amended.
Tan will face the court again on April 30 for a third mention.
The maximum penalty for voluntarily causing grievous hurt is up to 10 years in jail, with a fine or caning. — TODAY
