SINGAPORE – A 49-year-old domestic helper was sentenced to 52 weeks in jail Monday, January 12, after being convicted of abusing a 90-year-old woman under her care. The case highlights the vulnerabilities of elderly individuals and the importance of safeguarding those dependent on in-home assistance.
Elderly Woman Subjected to repeated Abuse by Caregiver
The Myanmar national repeatedly harmed the woman, who suffers from moderate vascular dementia, even while assisting with personal care.
- Nwe Nwe San pleaded guilty to two counts of voluntarily causing hurt to a vulnerable person.
- Abuse was documented via closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage.
- The victim’s son discovered the mistreatment after reviewing CCTV recordings.
- The prosecution had requested a jail sentence of at least 52 weeks.
Further investigation revealed a pattern of mistreatment. When the victim was hospitalized for a urinary infection on July 30, 2025, doctors noted bruises on her body and discovered several rib fractures, though the exact timing of those injuries remained unclear. The son subsequently filed a police report on August 2, 2025, after reviewing additional CCTV footage.
Court documents detail several instances of abuse. On July 16, 2025, Nwe Nwe San kicked the victim’s knee, prodded her head twice, grabbed her shirt, and pushed her onto a sofa. She also grabbed the victim’s hair, slapped her face at least twice, and struck her arm with a diaper.
On July 28, 2025, while attempting to put on a diaper, Nwe Nwe San grabbed the victim’s right leg and pushed it towards her while the elderly woman was partially unclothed. The helper then grabbed the victim by her shirt, swung her around, repeatedly pushed her onto the sofa-causing her to hit her head-and inserted her finger into the victim’s mouth.
The victim, at one point, gestured towards the toilet but was ignored. She then pressed her hands together in a pleading gesture directed at Nwe Nwe San.
Nwe Nwe San admitted to “manhandling” the victim,citing frustration with the challenges of providing care alone. However, Deputy Public Prosecutor Caleb Looi dismissed this explanation as an “afterthought,” noting that the victim’s son had already arranged for part-time assistance to alleviate the burden.
District Judge Lorraine Ho emphasized that while caring for an ailing senior can be demanding, abuse is never an acceptable response. “It was not for the accused to take matters into her own hands by deliberately hurting someone,” Judge Ho stated.
Nwe nwe San could have faced up to six years in prison, a fine of up to S$10,000 (approximately US$7,800), or both, for voluntarily causing hurt to a vulnerable person.
