Singapore jails Indonesian helper who repeatedly hit ‘helpless’ 85-year-old dementia patient

Indah Nur Wahyuni told police that she was treated well by her employer and provided no reason for her multiple assaults, which were caught on camera

She was jailed for 12 weeks for voluntarily causing hurt to a vulnerable person, a charge that can carry up to six years’ imprisonment

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The Merlion statue with buildings of Singapore’s financial district behind. For causing hurt to a vulnerable person, the accused could have been jailed for up to six years under the city state’s laws. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 12:02pm, 13 Sep 2023Updated: 12:04pm, 13 Sep 2023

After finding bruises on her elderly mother, a woman in Singapore checked closed-circuit television footage only to find that her domestic helper had been assaulting the 85-year-old by shaking her roughly and hitting her multiple times.

Indonesian national Indah Nur Wahyuni, 35, was sentenced to 12 weeks’ jail on Tuesday after pleading guilty to voluntarily causing hurt to a vulnerable person by hitting her hand and back.

A similar charge was taken into consideration during sentencing.

The court heard that Indah was employed in January this year by Judy Cheryl Yeong to look after her elderly mother, Leong Fong Har, who has severe dementia and is non-communicative.

Indah was entrusted with the care of Leong as she had received training at her employment agency on caring for the elderly and young children.

On the evening of March 8, Yeong was caring for her mother when she noticed bruises on Leong’s left hand and confronted Indah about it.