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SCMP Reporter

A MAID yesterday denied she had ill-treated a newborn baby who died of head injuries.

  But Filipina Judith Tumaneng, 36, pleaded guilty in the District Court to a lesser charge of neglecting the child between September 22 and October 19 last year.

  The prosecution accepted Tumaneng's not-guilty plea to wilfully ill-treating the child and left it on the court file.

  The court heard Poon Ka-hoi was just three months old when he was certified dead in Tuen Mun Hospital on November 6 last year of acute subdural haematoma.

  Tumaneng had told his parents Ka-hoi had fallen off a sofa on to the floor on October 14, the court was told.

  Prosecutor Michelle Tsang said doctors who examined the baby found deep bruising to its head, evidence of an impact. Similar injuries on the baby were said by doctors to be evidence of violent shaking.

  She said Tumaneng made up several excuses for each injury found on the child such as his falling off the sofa and the baby carrier being tied too tightly.

  The court heard the parents, Poon Wai-man and Wong Tseung-yi, hired Tumaneng just after the baby's birth to take care of him while they were out working.

  The court was told Mr Poon discovered bruises on Ka-hoi's cheeks barely three weeks after the defendant started work for them.

  Ms Wong also found scratches under the baby's eyes which appeared to be inflicted by fingernails. Tumaneng said the baby had struggled when she tried to strap him into his pram.

  About two weeks later Ms Wong discovered bruising to the left side of Ka-hoi's waist which the defendant claimed was caused by the baby carrier being strapped too tightly.

  Two days later Mr Poon took Ka-hoi to a private practitioner after noticing swelling to his head.

  Dr Cheung Wai-leung advised an X-ray be taken but Mr Poon refused because of the baby's age.

  Ka-hoi appeared to recover normally and he was once again put into Tumaneng's care on October 16.

  Two days later Ka-hoi was rushed to Tuen Mun Hospital after he fell unconscious. The defendant told Ms Wong the baby had fallen off the sofa the day the swelling was found.

  The baby remained in a coma until he died in the early hours of November 6. A postmortem examination revealed a blood clot to the left of the brain which could have been caused by violent shaking or impact.

  Judge Britton told Tumaneng she was facing a maximum sentence of two years for her guilty plea and adjourned sentencing to October 10 pending reports.

  The Poon family were Tumaneng's second contract employers during her three years in the territory.



Neglected baby died