Maid jailed for abusing employer’s one-year-old son more than 20 times
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Nucom Loreta Talbo told investigators that she had hit the victim because his crying disrupted her sleep and she felt frustrated.
ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG
Follow topic:
- Nucom Loreta Talbo had abused her employer's one-year-old son on over 20 occasions between March and July 2024.
- She had hit, slapped and pinched the child.
- She was caught after the victim's parents viewed footage from a CCTV camera in their son's room.
AI generated
SINGAPORE – A maid was sentenced to two years and six months’ jail on July 30 for repeatedly abusing her employer’s one-year-old son by hitting his head, slapping his face, pulling his hair and pinching his ear.
Nucom Loreta Talbo, 30, who has children of her own, told investigators that she had hit the victim because his crying disrupted her sleep and she felt frustrated.
On July 16, the Filipina pleaded guilty to one count of ill-treating the child.
In earlier proceedings, the court heard that Talbo was a seasoned domestic helper who had been working in Singapore for the past five years.
She had worked at the victim’s household for 11 months since September 2023, and shared a room with the victim.
On Dec 27, 2023, an infant care teacher found injuries on the child’s body.
When confronted, Talbo denied causing the injuries, and court documents did not state if she had caused them.
Her acts of abuse came to light on July 23, 2024, when the boy’s parents heard him crying.
The couple checked footage from a CCTV camera installed in the room and saw her ill-treating their child. A further review of earlier footage revealed additional incriminating acts.
Among her many acts of abuse, Talbo used her fist to hit the child’s head and slapped his face. She also pulled his hair and pinched his ear.
On July 16, Deputy Public Prosecutor Heershan Kaur said the victim’s parents confronted Talbo after watching the clips.
She denied hitting the victim despite being shown the footage.
The police were alerted before she was removed from the household, and she stayed in a temporary shelter pending investigations.
The child’s father later reviewed the other recordings that showed Talbo ill-treating the victim between March and July 2024. He shared the footage with the authorities.
But as the device was faulty, he could not confirm if any abuse occurred between September 2023 and March 2024.
