A babysitter pleads guilty to abusing two infants at a Kuala Lumpur childcare centre, with charges including slapping and covering a baby’s face with a pillow.
KUALA LUMPUR: A babysitter pleaded guilty to two counts of abusing infants at a childcare centre here.
Perada Randai, 27, admitted to the charges before Sessions Court judges Suhaila Haron and Noridah Adam in separate proceedings.
She was charged with slapping a nine-month-old girl’s cheek and knocking her head at a centre in Kampung Baru Salak Selatan.
The accused also faced a charge for covering a six-month-old boy’s face with a pillow and forcing him to drink milk.
The alleged offences occurred between 8 am and 6 pm on December 15.
She was charged under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001, which carries a maximum fine of RM50,000 or up to 20 years’ imprisonment.
The court released her on RM12,000 bail and set January 16 for the prosecution to present facts and for sentencing.
In a related case, an Indonesian babysitter at the same centre, Yella Prissillia, 29, pleaded guilty to abusing the same baby boy.
She admitted to pinching the infant’s leg, covering his face with a pillow and forcing him to drink milk.
However, she pleaded not guilty to a separate charge of violently shaking a four-month-old boy’s rocking chair.
Judge Noridah denied Yella bail as she is a foreign national without valid travel documents.
Her case was fixed for February 13 for the presentation of facts and sentencing.
Another local babysitter, Stephanie Agus, 19, pleaded not guilty to a charge involving the six-month-old boy.
She was accused of swaddling the infant and allowing him to drink milk without supervision.
Judge Suhaila allowed Stephanie bail of RM8,000 and fixed February 16 for mention of her case.
The media previously reported public outcry after CCTV footage showed a baby being thrown, rolled and slapped by a childcare employee.
Allegations suggested several other infants at the centre were also abused.
