Woman charged over fatal Chinatown car park crash killing six-year-old Indonesian girl; gag order issued

A 38-year-old woman has been charged in the State Courts on 8 April 2026 over a car accident in Chinatown that killed a six-year-old girl and injured her mother.

The woman faces two charges of careless driving causing death and careless driving causing grievous hurt.

She did not indicate how she would plead. A pre-trial conference has been scheduled for 13 May 2026.

A gag order was granted by the court to protect the identity of her six-year-old son, who is a potential witness in the case.

The order extends to the accused as his parent, meaning she cannot be named. The vehicle registration number of the car involved is also covered.

Gag order application and arguments

The application for the gag order was made by defence lawyer Navin Thevar.

The prosecution did not object.

Thevar told the court it has been the practice of courts to protect the identities of children who are witnesses in road traffic accidents by also preventing the publication of their parents’ identities when they are accused persons.

He cited a case involving a 46-year-old Australian driver who killed a pedestrian in a high-speed crash.

The offender was not named as his children, who were in the car, were also victims.

Another example involved a driver who fatally drove his van over his two-year-old daughter.

The offender was also not named to protect the identity of a surviving child.

Thevar said the gag order was necessary to shield the accused’s son from “the glare of unwanted public scrutiny and embarrassment”, as well as further trauma arising from the accident he witnessed.

He added that there had been many vitriolic posts made online against both his client and the boy, describing them as untrue and xenophobic in nature.

Examples of such posts were included in documents submitted for the application, although they were not read out in court.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Vishnu Menon said provisions for protecting the identity of the accused’s son are set out in the Children and Young Persons Act.

He said the gag order must extend to the accused in order to be effective.

What happened on 6 February

The victim, Sheyna Lashira Smaradiani, died after being struck by a car in an open-air car park near the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple in Chinatown on 6 February 2026.

Her mother, Raisha Anindra Pascasiswi, aged 31, was also hit and taken to hospital.

According to the Singapore Police Force, the incident occurred at about 11:50am.

Both victims, reported to be tourists from Indonesia, were conscious when taken to hospital. The child later succumbed to her injuries.

The driver was reported to be cooperating with police investigations. Her arrest was confirmed on 8 February.

The accident took place in an area near Maxwell MRT station and drew public attention.

Videos circulating online showed bystanders using umbrellas to shelter the victims at the scene.

Raisha has since been discharged from hospital and returned to Indonesia.

Sheyna’s remains were repatriated to Jakarta, where she was buried on 8 February 2026.

Lawyers from Adel Law, including Lolita Andrew, are representing the girl’s family.

In a statement released through their lawyers on 6 April 2026, the family expressed gratitude to those who provided assistance in the immediate aftermath of the accident, including bystanders at the scene.

Channel NewsAsia reported that the case represents an uncommon procedural circumstance in Singapore, as the accused has been charged before a coroner’s inquiry into the child’s death has been held.

The same report stated that the accused is an Indian national and a Singapore permanent resident.

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.