Foreign domestic worker jailed for slapping dementia-stricken elderly woman in her care
Maria Inggrid Seran’s 69-year-old victim was non-communicative and relied primarily on the maid for care.
The State Courts of Singapore. (File photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
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SINGAPORE: A foreign domestic worker who slapped and hit a dementia-stricken woman under her care was sentenced to 11 weeks’ jail on Friday (Sep 4).
Maria Inggrid Seran had been taking care of the 69-year-old victim since March 2023. The 34-year-old Indonesian maid knew of the elderly woman’s medical conditions and was aware that she was vulnerable.
In November 2025, the victim lost the ability to care for and feed herself. She relied primarily on Seran, including to get on and off her bed, and into her wheelchair, the court heard.
The victim suffered from multiple medical conditions including Alzheimer’s dementia, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, diverticulosis and hyperlipidaemia. She was also non-communicative and could not be interviewed for investigations.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Ng Jun Kai asked for 11 to 13 weeks’ jail for the domestic worker, noting that Seran’s crimes would have been difficult to detect if not for the closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage.
Seran also admitted that this was not the first time she had assaulted the victim, having previously done so to stop the woman’s nagging, the prosecution noted.
She claimed that this would make the victim keep quiet because she was afraid, the court heard.
In mitigation, Seran, who was unrepresented, asked for a lighter sentence through the court interpreter.
Delivering his sentence, District Judge Lim Wee Meng said he took the need for deterrence in domestic violence cases, the victim’s inability to care for herself and the harm caused to the victim into consideration.
On the morning of Apr 20, while trying to feed the woman breakfast, the domestic worker became angry after the victim became frustrated.
She slapped her twice on the face and once on her head. She then hit the woman’s hand, legs, feet and pinched her nose twice, the court heard.
Her actions were captured by CCTV in the house that had been installed by the woman’s children. That evening, her son called the police after his brother sent him a video of Seran beating their mother, which led to the maid’s arrest.
Medical checks did not reveal any injuries, but the victim suffered pain on her head, face, legs, hands and nose because of her caretaker’s assault.
The punishment for voluntarily causing hurt is a jail term of up to three years, a fine of up to S$5,000 (US$3,945), or both. If the offender knew or should have known the victim was a vulnerable person, they may be sentenced to up to twice the maximum punishment.
Source: CNA/hw(sn)
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