Man suspected of slashing maid held

Maid suffered deep gashes to hand and throat by attacker believed to be her ex-boyfriend

Ms Allen Remedios is pictured here with a man believed to be her former boyfriend. Ms Remedios was attacked on Sunday while returning to her employer's flat in Tampines.
Ms Allen Remedios is pictured here with a man believed to be her former boyfriend. Ms Remedios was attacked on Sunday while returning to her employer's flat in Tampines. PHOTO: JOSE MARI CAMACHO

A 41-year-old man accused of slashing the throat, wrist and palm of his former girlfriend has been arrested by police.

In a statement yesterday, the police said he is to be charged in court for allegedly hurting Ms Allen Remedios, a maid working here, at about 6.30pm on Sunday at Block 311, Tampines Street 33.

Ms Remedios, 38, suffered deep gashes to her left hand and throat.

She was still conscious when she was taken to Changi General Hospital, and was transferred to Singapore General Hospital (SGH) later that evening.

SGH declined to provide further information on the victim.

Ms Remedios was attacked while she was on the way back to her employer's flat on the second storey of the Tampines block.

The assailant, believed to be her former boyfriend, stopped her on the first storey and fled after slashing her.

Ms Remedios then stumbled up the stairs to her employer's flat, leaving a trail of blood in her wake.

A bloodied 15cm-long paper cutter had apparently been found in the vicinity of the block, The New Paper reported.

According to another maid, who also works for Ms Remedios' employer - planning manager Jose Mari Camacho - the victim was drenched in blood when she rang the doorbell and told her to call Mr Camacho.

Blood from her wounds left a big red stain in the front of her shirt. Photographs of the scene showed a corridor stained with blood.

By the time Mr Camacho, 40, arrived, she had slumped to the floor.

He was quoted by The New Paper as saying that Ms Remedios had to have a blood transfusion as she had lost a lot of blood.

The police said they received a call for assistance at 6.32pm on Sunday evening. Officers later established that a case of voluntarily causing hurt with dangerous means had occurred.

The other maid working for Mr Camacho, who wanted to be known only as Ms Rose, 25, said the couple had broken up three months ago.

But she added that Ms Remedios' former boyfriend, a construction worker, was often spotted loitering at the block for about an hour on Sundays since they broke up.

Mr Camacho said the victim had been working for the family for about two years and was a good employee.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on August 26, 2015, with the headline Man suspected of slashing maid held. Subscribe