A Singaporean stepmother has been sentenced to six years and three months in jail for her involvement in the abuse of her 5-year-old stepdaughter, Ayeesha, and her younger brother. The severe ill-treatment of the vulnerable children, which included confinement in a toilet for nearly 10 months, lasted for months and even years.
District Judge Eugene Teo noted the profound lack of mercy shown to the children, stating it was "painfully ironic" for the stepmother to now seek leniency. The 35-year-old woman pleaded guilty to charges including child ill-treatment and providing false information to the police, while also caring for her own children.
The children suffered extreme neglect, resorting to eating their own feces and mattress parts out of hunger. They were denied schooling, with their father fabricating excuses for their absence.
Ayesha died in August 2017 from a head injury after her stepmother complained about the children to the father, leading to multiple assaults. The father was previously sentenced to life imprisonment for his role in Ayeesha's death.
A gag order protects the surviving brother, who was found severely malnourished and suffering from developmental delays and social deprivation. Court footage showed the children appearing listless and fearful during periods of abuse.