Former domestic helper jailed for leaving toddler alone in a Hong Kong park
The woman, who was only identified as Khotijah, sentenced to two weeks for neglect and 15 months for illegal employment
A former domestic helper has been jailed for more than 15 months for child neglect and illegally taking employment in Hong Kong after a toddler placed in her care was found alone in a park last year.
West Kowloon Court on Thursday sentenced the woman, only identified as Khotijah, 43, who earlier admitted neglecting a two-year-old girl entrusted to her as a babysitter in June 2024.
The court heard the girl’s 31-year-old mother first approached the Indonesian defendant via a man known as John in May last year and offered to pay her HK$300 (US$38) per day for looking after the child.
The mother, only identified in court as TCK, said she would ask Khotijah for help from time to time, the last being on June 21, when she paid the former helper HK$1,500 in exchange for taking care of her toddler for five days.
But the accused left the girl with John six days later, complaining she was unable to bear the child’s living expenses with what the mother gave her.
The girl was found wandering around a playground at Sai Yee Street in Mong Kok alone on the evening of June 28.