E-scooter rider who hit toddler pleads guilty

The toddler was walking out of a shop towards his mother when the e-scooter rider spotted him but could not stop in time. PHOTO: ST FILE

A toddler suffered minor head injuries after he was knocked over by a food delivery worker riding an e-scooter along a crowded corridor on the fourth storey of Nex mall.

The three-year-old child was hit on the forehead by the e-scooter and fell backwards, striking his head on the floor on March 18.

He was taken to National University Hospital and diagnosed with a bruised forehead and mild tenderness to the back of his head. He was discharged later that day.

Neo Jia Ming, 20, pleaded guilty yesterday to causing hurt to the child by riding the e-scooter in a rash manner in the Serangoon Central mall.

The toddler, who cannot be named due to his age, was walking out of a shop towards his mother at around 7pm on the day of the incident. Neo spotted him but could not stop in time.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Nicholas Lai told District Judge May Mesenas: "The e-scooter hit the victim on his forehead, causing him to fall backwards (which) led to (him) hitting his head against the floor."

The DPP said the area near the shop was crowded at the time, with "many people walking to and fro".

Neo got off his e-scooter and gave the boy's mother his particulars before leaving to carry out a delivery.

The 29-year-old mother alerted a security officer, who advised her to lodge a police report.

Judge Mesenas called for a report to assess Neo's suitability for probation and adjourned the case to July 25.

Offenders convicted of causing hurt to others by performing a rash act can be jailed for up to a year and fined up to $5,000.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on June 28, 2019, with the headline E-scooter rider who hit toddler pleads guilty. Subscribe