SINGAPORE, Nov 6 — An Indonesian domestic helper was charged today with causing grievous harm due to a rash act after a tragic road accident in Singapore’s River Valley, the Straits Times (ST) reported today.
The incident on January 23 led to the death of four-year-old Zara Mei Orlic, who was under Lilyana Eva’s care.
Court documents allege that the 32-year-old neglected Zara’s safety by allowing her to cross a road at an unsignalised junction without holding her hand.
Zara ran ahead and was struck by a car, later succumbing to her injuries.
In his findings on July 21, Coroner Eddy Tham said, according to ST, that Zara, who was returning from preschool with Lilyana, walked ahead while Lilyana carried school bags and held Zara’s two-year-old sister.
The coroner noted that Zara, just 1m tall, “was completely obscured by a stationary vehicle nearby,” making her invisible to the driver of the oncoming car.
The driver, a 40-year-old Australian woman, was driving home with her own children and only realised she had hit something after feeling an impact.
She saw Zara’s prone figure in her rear-view mirror and rushed to help.
Witnesses reported that Lilyana also attempted to assist Zara, while a school receptionist called an ambulance.
Zara was transported to Singapore General Hospital, where doctors informed her parents of her critical condition.
She was pronounced dead at 6:45pm that evening, with the cause of death determined as a head injury.
ST reported that Lilyana, who had been employed by the Orlic family since October 2023, appeared in court with an Indonesian interpreter today and indicated she would seek legal representation.
Her case is scheduled to continue on November 13.
Under Singaporean law, individuals convicted of causing grievous harm by a rash act can face up to four years in prison and fines up to S$10,000 (RM33,000).
