Family of Indonesian girl killed in Singapore crash issues tribute as driver charged
A grieving Indonesian family has paid tribute to their six-year-old daughter killed in a Singapore crash, thanking strangers, doctors and officials for their support. A 38-year-old driver has now been charged as investigations continue.
- Family of six-year-old Sheyna Lashira Smaradiani issued a tribute on 6 April following her death.
- A 38-year-old driver was charged with causing death and grievous hurt by careless driving.
- The family thanked bystanders, medical staff, and officials for support during the aftermath.
The family of a six-year-old Indonesian girl who died after a road accident in Singapore’s Chinatown has issued a tribute thanking members of the public, medical staff and officials, as a 38-year-old driver was charged over the incident.
In a four-page statement released on April 6 through their lawyers, Ashar Ardianto and Raisha Anindra paid tribute to their daughter, Sheyna Lashira Smaradiani, who died on 6 February.
“We are seen. We are held. We are loved,” the family said.
They described Sheyna as “a child of incandescent vitality; joyful, spirited, and deeply loved”.
“Never, even in their most distant imaginings, did they conceive that their family of four would be irreversibly altered to three,” they added.
Reflecting the depth of their loss, the statement said: “Today, the family stands in a void for which no lexicon exists. There are no manuals, no precedents, no algorithms that can instruct a parent on how to endure the destruction of love of your child.”
Final moments before the accident
The family had been transiting through Singapore from Japan en route to Indonesia ahead of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, having chosen the city as a stopover because they regarded it as synonymous with safety.
On the morning of 6 February, they had breakfast near their hotel before heading out around midday to explore the area. The couple were travelling with their two children and Ashar’s mother.
The statement said that “in a moment so swift it defied comprehension, joy was extinguished” and that Sheyna, while holding her mother’s hand, “was taken from them”.
Medical treatment and recovery
At the time of the accident, Raisha sustained internal injuries and fractures and was admitted to Singapore General Hospital, where she was treated in a high dependency unit, the Indonesian Embassy said previously.
She was unable to “say goodbye” to her daughter.
“Raisha has since emerged from critical danger, though her journey toward recovery remains long and arduous,” the family said.
They added that the hospital team “have given her not just medical support, but hope”.
Support from public and institutions
The family expressed appreciation to bystanders who assisted at the scene.
“Strangers became guardians in moments of chaos… That act, quiet and human, will never be forgotten,” they said.
They also thanked Indonesia’s ambassador to Singapore, Hotmangaradja Pandjaitan, and embassy staff for their assistance, including opening his home to Ashar and helping arrange the repatriation of Sheyna’s body.
The Indonesian Embassy provided accommodation and logistical support.
The family also acknowledged The Ascott Limited and staff at Robertson House, where they stayed for nearly four weeks, describing it as providing “not merely accommodation, but sanctuary”.
In Indonesia, friends and former classmates of Raisha launched fundraising efforts to help with her medical expenses.
Driver charged, investigations ongoing
On 8 April, a 38-year-old woman was charged in Singapore’s State Courts with two counts of driving without due care and attention, causing death and grievous hurt.
Prosecutors said she had allegedly failed to keep a proper lookout while making a right turn out of an open-air carpark in Spring Street, striking two pedestrians near the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple.
The case was adjourned for six weeks and will be heard again at a pre-trial conference on 13 May.
A gag order was granted to protect the identity of the accused’s son, who was in the vehicle at the time and is a potential witness. The order also extends to the accused.
Defence lawyer Navin Thevar said the order was necessary to shield the child from “the glare of unwanted public scrutiny and embarrassment”, adding that online posts targeting the family were “untrue and xenophobic in nature”. The prosecution did not object.
Accident details and aftermath
The incident occurred at about 11:50am on 6 February near South Bridge Road, close to Maxwell MRT station, according to the Singapore Police Force.
Both victims were conscious when taken to hospital, but Sheyna later succumbed to her injuries. She died from cranio-cerebral injuries, as determined by a hospital autopsy.
Her remains were repatriated to Jakarta on 8 February and buried later that day at Tanah Kusir cemetery in South Jakarta.
The case represents an uncommon procedural situation as the accused has been charged before a coroner’s inquiry into the child’s death has been held.
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.
