A domestic helper from Myanmar who had worked in Singapore for just 40 days felt unappreciated and in a moment of misguided rage, strangled her employer’s 19-year-old daughter with a pillowcase.
The incident happened in a Trellis Tower condominium unit on Feb 18, 2017, at around 9.30am, reported Lianhe Wanbao.
During the scuffle, both the accused, Su Hlaning Hnin and the victim, Ms Li fell onto the floor of the living room.
The process lasted for about five minutes, and Ms Li sustained multiple injuries on various parts of her body.
At one point, she managed to escape and quickly ran into her room but was so afraid that she forgot to lock the door.
Su followed and after calming herself down warned Ms Li not to tell her parents about the incident.
Ms Li hid in the toilet and sent a distress message to her parents, asking for help.
Su denied harming the girl and claimed that the injuries on Ms Li were self-inflicted
After a seven-day trial, the judge found Su’s account to be unconvincing, sentencing her to 22 weeks’ jail.
Su subsequently filed an appeal in the High Court.
The court heard that Su had started working for the family on Jan 10, 2017.
Ms Li and her parents claimed that they had never quarrelled with the maid, and found her work satisfactory.
On the day of the incident, Ms Li’s mother had brought her grandmother for a medical checkup and grocery shopping.
Ms Li’s brother was gone to a gym, leaving her and Su alone in the house.
She was using her computer at the dining table when the maid suddenly sneaked up from her left and wrapped a pillowcase around her neck.
Su told her: “See, see.”
Ms Li could not comprehend the situation and looked up, but as she lifted her head, the grip on her neck tightened.
Instinctively, Ms Li attempted to push Su away and struggled as she stood up from her chair.
Ms Li said she was so focused on escaping, she did not notice whether they had fallen onto the floor first or hit the wall.
A medical examination revealed that Ms Li had suffered many bruises on her head, neck, abdomen, shoulders and various parts on the left side of her body.
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Murder/Manslaughter
