Police called in over parents hitting child with cane and tree branch in public, Latest Singapore News - The New Paper
Singapore

Police called in over parents hitting child with cane and tree branch in public

This article is more than 12 months old

A video circulating online of a man and woman hitting their daughter with a cane and tree branch in public has sparked heated debate.

The incident happened at Block 410 in Jurong West on Tuesday at around 6.30pm, next to an open-air carpark.

The six-minute-long video shows the woman holding a cane and standing with her daughter, believed to be in lower primary school, next to a school bag and some books that are scattered on the ground.

The girl tries to snatch the cane from her mother, repeatedly crying out "I don't want" in Mandarin. The video also shows the woman tearing up a piece of paper.

About one minute into the video, the girl's father, who had originally been looking on, suddenly grabs what appears to be a tree branch, walks up to her, and hits her leg several times with it.

The girl then runs off, shouting: "Papa, I don't want."

Later, her mother passes her a tissue to wipe her tears and instructs her to pick up her bag and books before asking her to get into the car.

Chinese evening daily Lianhe Wanbao spoke to an eyewitness, a 60-year-old who wanted to be known only as Mr Su, who said that three young people at the scene alerted the police.

When the police arrived, officers spent about 20 minutes speaking with the parents.

The Straits Times understands that the police advised the couple not to cane their child in public in future as this might cause alarm. - THE STRAITS TIMES

policeparentingCHILDREN