A maid appeared in court yesterday charged with breaking the arm of a four-month-old boy while his parents were on holiday. The baby spent a week in hospital being treated for a broken left arm after he had been taken care of by Siti Fatimah, 33, the District Court heard. A medical report also found signs of earlier fractures to his right arm and thighs. The Indonesian maid has pleaded not guilty to a charge of child abuse. The court heard the injury was discovered when the baby screamed while his grandmother was bathing him on March 4 and she found a swelling on his arm. Earlier that day, the boy had been heard screaming in the bedroom he shared with the maid. The baby had been left with the maid while his parents were away from March 2 to 5, with occasional visits from his grandmothers. The prosecution said Fatimah had told police in a taped interview that the baby wriggled a lot and she had to grasp his arms and feet sometimes, which she believed might have hurt the baby. Fatimah had said that she suspected the baby might have been injured because he cried whenever she touched his limbs. She said she had not shared her doubts with anyone because she feared she would lose her job or be penalised. On the night of March 2, he had struggled and almost slipped through her arms. She grabbed his left hand with force that might have hurt him, the court heard. The medical report said the multiple fractures were not accidental and appeared to have been caused by forceful pulls or twists. The baby's father, Leung Shu-kai, told the court the injuries left no apparent marks on his son. Mr Leung said he had found a bite mark on his son's left arm two weeks before the incident but Fatimah had denied causing it. The trial continues today.
