Singapore preschool teacher pleads not guilty to child abuse charge involving 18-month-old toddler
A 30-year-old preschool teacher has pleaded not guilty to child abuse charges involving an 18-month-old girl. The girl's father testified in court, describing his daughter's emotional distress and the moment he viewed surveillance footage of the alleged physical assault.
- A 30-year-old teacher is accused of physically abusing a toddler by throwing her to the ground and pushing her.
- The victim's father testified that his daughter exhibited severe anxiety and night terrors following the alleged incident.
- The judge has ruled that a prima facie case has been established, and the trial is set to continue.
SINGAPORE: A 30-year-old preschool teacher appeared in court on 10 March 2026 to contest charges of child abuse involving an 18-month-old student.
The defendant, who was employed at a kindergarten in the north-eastern region of Singapore, pleaded not guilty to the allegations.
The specific charge involves a violation of the Children and Young Persons Act (CYPA).
It is alleged that the defendant abused the toddler between 09:31 and 09:35 on the morning of 3 May 2024, according to Chinese-language media outlet Lianhe Zaobao.
According to court proceedings, the prosecution claims the defendant lifted the girl and threw her onto the ground. She is also accused of pushing the child’s shoulders, causing her to fall backwards.
To protect the identity of the minor, the court has issued a gag order.
This order prevents the media from publishing any information that could identify the victim, including the name of the defendant.
Father recounts how incident came to light
The victim’s father provided emotional testimony on Tuesday, 10 March 2026.
He informed the court that his daughter had recently transitioned from a playgroup to a nursery class in May 2024.
Approximately three weeks after this transition, the girl's mother received a telephone call from the kindergarten principal.
The principal reported the alleged abuse and requested a meeting with the parents to view Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) footage.
The school administration also instructed the parents to inspect the child’s chest and head for physical injuries. The father testified that the subsequent investigation by the school revealed the alleged mistreatment.
CCTV footage and alleged behaviour
During his testimony, the father described the contents of the CCTV footage.
He stated that the video showed the defendant dragging his daughter and physically restraining her movements.
The father further alleged that the footage showed the defendant throwing the girl to the floor.
He noted that his daughter appeared to suffer an emotional breakdown during the recorded incident.
Behavioural changes in the child
Before moving to the nursery class, the father described his daughter as a cheerful child who enjoyed attending school.
However, her behaviour changed significantly after she entered the defendant’s class.
The court heard that the girl began to cry hysterically whenever she realised she was going to the kindergarten. She also developed a fear of sleeping and would cling to her school bag at night.
The witness broke down in tears while recounting how he initially attributed her distress to normal adjustment anxiety. He stated he was devastated to learn the true cause was alleged physical abuse.
The presiding judge paused proceedings to allow the witness time to compose himself. The father noted that his daughter’s mood improved only when the defendant was away on medical leave.
Defence raises teacher’s messages
During cross-examination, the defence lawyer argued that the defendant had sent messages to a group chat regarding the child’s wellbeing.
These messages noted that the girl had been crying and vomiting.
The defence suggested these communications demonstrated that the teacher cared for the child's health.
The father disagreed with this assessment during his testimony.
The father argued that if the teacher truly cared, she would have requested an immediate physical check for injuries. Instead, the parents were only informed of the situation three weeks later.
The witness expressed relief that his daughter did not suffer permanent physical injuries.
He remarked that a three-week delay in discovery could have resulted in much more serious consequences.
Following the testimony of all prosecution witnesses, the judge ruled that a prima facie case had been established.
The defendant has chosen to testify in her own defence. The trial continue on the morning of Wednesday.
