‘Brutal’ Singaporean couple jailed for torturing and killing toddler for refusing to eat his breakfast
Mum gets 11 years in prison, while boyfriend sentenced to 10 years and 12 cane lashes, as judge blasts couple’s lack of remorse
A Singaporean mother who tortured her two-year-old son to death for not eating his breakfast and disobeying her was jailed along with her boyfriend on Tuesday for what the court described as the couple’s “senseless brutality”.
District Judge Bala Reddy cited the “ruthless and unrelenting” violence in the case and the couple’s lack of remorse before handing down an 11-year term for 41-year-old mother Zaidah, who goes by one name.
For more than a month, the two of you in a ruthless and unrelenting manner inflicted severe torture on your two-year-old child
Her boyfriend, Zaini Jamari, 46, was jailed for 10 years and sentenced to 12 lashes of the cane.
The court heard how over a five-week period last year, the couple punished the boy by making him stand for hours wearing only a nappy, kicking and slapping him whenever he got tired.
“For more than a month, the two of you in a ruthless and unrelenting manner inflicted severe torture on your two-year-old child who was unable to retaliate or defend himself,” Reddy said.
The worst of the abuse happened on November 22 when the couple hit and kicked the boy after he refused to eat breakfast, stomping on his chest and force-feeding him dried chilli pepper.
The same punishment was repeated that evening before the boy went to bed, where he was found dead the next morning.