Hong Kong helper arrested after toddler suffers burns
SCMP · 1 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
A 30-year-old Indonesian domestic helper was arrested in Yuen Long on suspicion of child neglect after a one-year-old girl suffered second-degree burns to her hands while under her care at home. The girl’s father reported the case to police, while the mother said surveillance footage and the helper’s changing accounts cast doubt on how the injuries occurred
Key Points
- Police confirmed the helper was arrested on Wednesday in Yuen Long after the girl’s father filed a report over the injuries
- The incident happened at the family’s Yuen Long home while both parents were at work and the helper was caring for the girl and her three-year-old brother
- A source said the helper took the girl to the bathroom to separate the children, and claimed the child put her hand into sink water before the temperature was tested
- The mother said a doctor diagnosed second-degree burns, with redness on the child’s hands and bruises also found on her forehead
- The mother said footage showed the helper bringing ice into the bathroom at 2.58pm but not calling her until 3.18pm, and disputed the helper’s explanations
Why It Matters
The case is now being handled by the Yuen Long crime investigation team, indicating a formal criminal inquiry into whether the child’s injuries amounted to neglect. Under Hong Kong law, child neglect carries a maximum penalty of 10 years, making the outcome significant for families employing live-in carers and for child protection enforcement