SINGAPORE, Nov 1 — A 36-year-old woman in Singapore has been sentenced to 10 days in jail for kicking a toddler at a shopping mall following a heated dispute with the child’s parents.
According to media site CNA, Angela Yong Sze Ting, a mother of young children herself, was found guilty today of voluntarily causing hurt to a minor after an incident on May 1 at United Square Shopping Mall.
The court heard that Yong and the victim’s parents had clashed over the use of tape at a Toys R Us gift-wrapping station, where both parties were wrapping items they had purchased.
After the verbal altercation, Yong followed the family outside the store and deliberately kicked the three-year-old boy's foot, causing him to fall to the ground and injure his knee. CCTV footage captured the incident.
After delivering the kick, Yong attempted to walk away swiftly, but the boy’s father noticed the act and stopped her.
She initially denied the assault, claiming to police that she had accidentally tripped the child.
A medical examination confirmed the boy experienced knee pain but sustained no visible injuries.
He was granted three days’ medical leave and referred to a child psychiatrist, though his parents did not pursue further psychiatric support.
CNA reported the prosecution as arguing that Yong showed no remorse during investigations and had not made restitution.
During the court hearing, the prosecutor called Yong’s actions “completely unwarranted and unprovoked,” adding that her decision to target the child, who had no role in the argument, reflected poor judgment.
Citing her attempted flight and denial, the prosecution recommended a jail term of two to three weeks.
Yong’s lawyer, Alyssa Galvan Mundo, argued against jail time, suggesting a deterrent sentence could be achieved without incarceration.
She claimed Yong had merely left her family’s dinner at a mall restaurant to make a purchase, unintentionally following the boy’s family in the same direction.
District Judge Eddy Tham criticised Yong’s actions as “cowardly” and expressed shock that a mother would harm a young child in retaliation.
He noted that although the kick may have been a spur-of-the-moment decision, it was clearly intentional, as evidenced by Yong’s subsequent denial of responsibility.
Under Singapore law, voluntarily causing hurt can result in a jail term of up to three years, a fine of up to S$5,000 (RM16,555), or both. When the offence involves a minor, penalties may be doubled.
