SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/ANN): A former pre-school teacher was sentenced to nine months and two weeks’ jail on July 28 for tripping a 20-month-old girl four times.
Saiidah Kamarudin’s actions caused the child to fall on her face in one instance, causing a nose bleed.
Saiidah, 34, who has two children of her own, had pleaded guilty in June to one count of ill-treating the toddler.
Before handing down the sentence, District Judge Tan Jen Tse noted that the young victim could not articulate what the offender had done to her.
He also said Saiidah had demonstrated persistence, noting that she stopped tripping the girl only when the child became injured.
In earlier proceedings, Deputy Public Prosecutor Cheah Wenjie told the court that the Singaporean committed the offence shortly after she tendered her resignation on Oct 12, 2023.
Details about the pre-school have been redacted from court documents.
On Nov 6 that year, Saiidah was tasked with helping to take care of a playgroup that included the victim.
Shortly before 12.30pm, she took the little girl to the toilet area.
While cleaning the child’s face, Saiidah used her right leg to sweep outwards from her left to her right, catching the victim’s left leg.
The court heard that the toddler stumbled but did not fall down.
Saiidah immediately used the same leg to trip the toddler for the second time, causing the child to fall backwards onto the floor.
Saiidah picked the girl up and resumed cleaning her face.
They were about to walk out of the area when Saiidah positioned herself behind the child.
Using a similar method, she tripped the toddler for the third time. The child stumbled forward but did not fall, the court heard.
The girl managed to regain her balance and walked forward, with Saiidah behind her.
At 12.30pm, Saiidah tripped the toddler again. This time, the victim fell on her face and started crying.
Saiidah picked her up, and another teacher who heard the cries came over to check on the child.
In June 2025, the prosecutor said: “At this juncture, the victim was bleeding from her right nostril, and there was a bruise under the victim’s nose.”
A CCTV camera at the school captured Saiidah committing the offence.
On Nov 8, 2023, the victim’s parents took the child to a doctor and a medical report later stated that she had a mild bruise below her nostril.
The father filed a police report two days later and asked to see the CCTV footage of the incident.
Saiidah’s employment at the school ended on Nov 14, 2023, and she was arrested on April 18, 2024.
On July 28, the prosecutor asked the court to sentence her to up to a year and four months’ jail, stressing that the case involved a vulnerable victim who was only 20 months old at the time.
He also said Saiidah was in a position of trust when she committed the offence.
Defence lawyer Deepak Natverlal told the court that Saiidah had acted in an uncharacteristic manner and is remorseful.
He added that his client could not explain the reasons behind her offence, and had felt that her then workplace was not child-centric.
Saiidah’s bail has been set at $15,000, and she is expected to begin serving her sentence on Aug 18. - The Straits Times/ANN
