Woman to face charges over Chinatown car park death of six-year-old Indonesian girl

A 38-year-old woman will be charged in court on Wednesday, 8 April, over a fatal car accident in a Chinatown car park that claimed the life of a six-year-old girl and left her mother with serious injuries.

The accused will face one charge of careless driving resulting in death and one charge of careless driving resulting in grievous hurt.

The charges follow an accident on 6 February this year near the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple along South Bridge Road.

The victim, Sheyna Lashira Smaradiani, died in hospital shortly after the incident. Her mother, Raisha Anindra Pascasiswi, aged 31, was also struck and hospitalised.

She has since been discharged and returned to Indonesia. Sheyna's remains were repatriated to Jakarta and she was buried on 8 February.

Uncommon procedural sequence

Channel NewsAsia (CNA) reports that this case represents an uncommon procedural circumstance in Singapore, where the accused is being charged before the coroner's inquiry for the child's death has been held. 

CNA also reported that the accused is an Indian national and a Singapore permanent resident.

Sheyna's family is represented by lawyers from Adel Law, including Lolita Andrew.

In a statement released through their lawyers on Monday, 6 April, the family expressed gratitude to those who had rendered support in the immediate aftermath of the accident, including bystanders present at the scene.

What happened on 6 February

According to the Singapore Police Force (SPF), the incident occurred at approximately 11:50am in an open-air car park adjacent to the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple.

The car struck both pedestrians — the child and her mother — who were reported to be tourists from Indonesia. Both were transported to hospital in a conscious state. The girl subsequently succumbed to her injuries.

The driver was initially reported by SPF to be cooperating with police inquiries. Her arrest was confirmed by SPF to local media on 8 February.

The accident near the temple, a well-frequented site close to Maxwell MRT station, attracted significant public attention. Videos circulating on social media showed bystanders offering shelter to the victims using umbrellas at the scene.

Eyewitness account of the collision

An eyewitness, Nguyen Thi Hanh, who stated she had been walking behind the victims at the time, provided a detailed account of the sequence of events.

According to Nguyen, the car emerged from the car park beside the temple and turned without checking for pedestrians on the right side. She alleged the driver looked only to the left before proceeding with the turn.

Nguyen stated that the car's front wheel ran over the child's abdomen and then the mother's leg. She further alleged that the driver then accelerated, causing the rear wheel to pass over the mother's abdomen as well.

In her account, Nguyen described the child as having been thrown and landing face-down in a pool of blood, with visible bleeding from her mouth.

A small camera and the child's water bottle were seen lying nearby. Another bystander, identified as Hannah Dang, reported witnessing the child's father arrive at the scene and hold her while calling for help.

Updated account raises further concerns

In a subsequent post, Nguyen provided additional detail, clarifying that her initial statement had been condensed due to time constraints. In her revised account, she alleged that the driver appeared unaware she had struck anyone and did not stop immediately.

Nguyen alleged that the driver continued moving the vehicle before stopping, worsening the injuries sustained. She further stated that upon exiting the car, the driver became defensive, raised her voice, and stated she was not at fault.

Nguyen described a tense confrontation between the driver and the child's grieving father at the scene. She stated publicly that she is willing to testify in any proceedings arising from the investigation.

Penalties under Singapore law

Under Singapore law, the offence of causing death by driving without due care and attention carries a maximum penalty of three years' imprisonment, a fine of up to S$10,000, or both.

The offence of causing grievous hurt by driving without due care and attention carries a maximum penalty of two years' imprisonment, a fine of up to S$5,000, or both. Convicted offenders may also be disqualified from driving for a period determined by the court.