Jail, fine for ex-babysitter in fatal child neglect case

SEREMBAN: A former babysitter was sentenced to one year in jail and fined RM15,000 by the Sessions Court here for negligence leading to a toddler’s death.

Judge N. Kanageswari ordered 41-year-old Khairunnisa Ahmad Damamhuri to serve an additional four months in jail if she fails to pay the fine.

The court further ordered the accused to complete 48 hours of community service within six months of her release. Additionally, she was placed on a one-year good behaviour bond of RM5,000 without collateral.

Khairunnisa was charged with negligence leading to the death of 15-month-old Nour Rania Asyifaa Yuseri, or Baby Syifaa, at a nursery in Bandar Sri Sendayan at around 12.30pm on Feb 22, 2022.

She was charged under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001, and can be jailed up to 20 years or fined up to RM50,000, or both, upon conviction.

When met outside the court, the victim’s father expressed disappointment over what he described as a “lenient” sentence, asserting that a longer sentence was necessary to account for the toddler’s death.

Yuseri Yusoff, 42, said the accused should have been incarcerated for five or six years for her crime.

Day in court: The accused being taken away after the sentencing for the offence.

“The case has dragged on for four years, which included an inquest to establish our daughter’s death.

“We feel the sentence is lenient as a life has been lost,” he added.

Yuseri said he would seek legal advice before deciding on the next course of action.

The victim’s mother Anida Idrus, 44, who was also present, was distraught when met outside the court and declined to be interviewed.

In July 2024, the Coroner’s Court had ruled that the toddler’s death was due to compression of the neck.

It found that the victim died after her neck became entangled in a cloth cradle.

The coroner had also found that the toddler’s death occurred after she was left unsupervised in a room for two hours.

On May 29 last year, the court was told that the Attorney General’s Chambers had rejected the first representation filed by the defence in February.

The defence filed a second representation, but this too was rejected.