17-5-2023 (Singapore) In a shocking incident, a 41-year-old woman, whose identity is protected by court-ordered gag orders, has been sentenced to two months’ imprisonment after stabbing her 11-year-old son in the thigh. The incident occurred when the boy entered his mother’s room without permission to use her phone, resulting in a violent altercation.
According to court proceedings on Wednesday (May 17), the woman pleaded guilty to one count of voluntarily causing hurt with a dangerous weapon on a minor. The court heard that on the morning of November 6, 2021, the victim took his mother’s spare phone and entered her room against her instructions. Ignoring his mother’s warnings, the boy continued to play with the phone, further aggravating the situation.
In a fit of anger, the woman retrieved a 21cm-long knife from the kitchen and returned to her room where her son was lying on the bed, covered with a blanket. Without hesitation, she pulled back the blanket and swiftly stabbed towards her son, piercing through the fabric and inflicting a wound on his thigh. The boy cried out in pain and quickly sought refuge in his own room, where he promptly contacted the police to report the incident.
Following the incident, the boy was taken to the hospital for treatment of his open wound and was discharged several weeks later. Meanwhile, the prosecutor sought a sentence of two to three months’ imprisonment, citing a prior conviction in 1999 for a similar offense. The offender had been given probation on that occasion.
However, the prosecutor also acknowledged that the woman suffers from major depressive disorder of mild severity, which was deemed to have contributed significantly to her actions. Despite her mental condition, it was determined that she possessed the awareness that her behavior was morally wrong.
In her defense, the woman’s lawyer, John Koh, highlighted her early guilty plea and cooperation with the authorities. He explained that his client continues to receive treatment for her condition and has taken steps towards self-rehabilitation to prevent any future incidents. Koh emphasized that the woman seeks to repair the mother-child bond that has been strained due to this episode.
During the court hearing, the defense lawyer requested a two-month sentence, the lower end of the prosecution’s range. Koh also successfully secured a deferment of the jail term until June 14, allowing his client to complete her notice period at work.
