A 32-year-old man was sentenced to 14 years in prison on May 20, 2026, for abusing his baby nephew over a three-month period in 2024 in Singapore [1, 2, 3, 4]. The abuse occurred when the infant, aged between nine and 11 months, was in the care of the man, the grandmother, and a domestic helper at the grandmother’s five-room flat [1, 2, 4].
The man pleaded guilty to eight counts of ill-treatment of a child. District Judge Koo Zhi Xuan described the abuse as exceptionally cruel and sadistic, calling it "a grave affront to human dignity" and said the act of recording videos of the abuse was "highly dehumanising and sickening, which is worthy of the strongest condemnation" [1, 3]. The judge said it was "deeply distressing to read about the abuse, and the heavy sentence reflects the retribution and general deterrence needed in this case" [3].
The abuse included pushing the infant’s head under water, hitting him with a bolster, pressing a pillow on his face, forcefully shaking his head, twisting his arm, slapping, pinching, and strangling or suffocating the baby, according to Deputy Public Prosecutor James Chew [1]. The man also recorded multiple videos of the abuse on his phone and rewatched them when angry at the baby's father, his wife's younger brother [1, 2, 3, 4].
One specific incident on July 18, 2024, involved the man pushing the infant’s head into a pail of water and holding it under for about six seconds, then hitting the baby with a bolster and pressing a pillow on his face for about 10 seconds [1, 2, 4]. Another abuse episode occurred on August 13, 2024, when the man took the baby out for a walk and mistreated him at a void deck, choking him [1, 2, 3, 4]. The abuse ended after a woman witnessed the man choking the baby and called the police [3].
Doctors testified that the abuse likely caused developmental delays in the infant [1, 2, 4]. The prosecution had sought a jail term between 12 and 15 years, while the defense requested 8 to 10 years [3]. The court also ordered the man to pay SGD 4,000 in compensation to the victim’s parents [1, 2, 4].
