Chin Swee Road death: Father accused of murdering 2-year-old daughter remanded for psychiatric observation

SINGAPORE: A man accused of killing his two-year-old daughter in 2014 with his wife as his accomplice returned to court via video-link on Tuesday (Sep 24).

The prosecution on Tuesday asked for the 31-year-old man to be remanded for three weeks for psychiatric observation.

The man, who cannot be named due to a gag order, will be remanded at the Complex Medical Centre in Changi Prison, the court heard.

Along with his 30-year-old wife, he faces one charge of killing their two-year-old daughter in March 2014 at their flat at Block 52 Chin Swee Road, just across from the State Courts.

His wife did not appear in court on Tuesday. She is currently serving a jail term of five years and two months, meted out on Sep 9, for drug charges and theft.

READ: Chin Swee Road death: Couple charged with murdering their 2-year-old daughter in 2014

The father is set to return to court via video-link on Oct 15, while the mother is due to appear on Oct 1.

Both parents had been remanded since June 2018 for a series of offences.

The Ministry of Social and Family Development had said the couple has other children who are all under "stable alternative care arrangements".

Police had found the child's remains inside the flat after receiving a call for help there on Sep 10 this year.

If found guilty of murder with common intention, the parents could be sentenced to death or life imprisonment, with caning for the man.

MAN FACES OTHER CHARGES

Other than the murder charge, the man faces three other charges.

He is accused of failing to return to Lloyd Leas Community Supervision Centre while he was an inmate there.

READ: Chin Swee Road toddler death: Local MP Lily Neo expresses concern, sadness

He had been employed by Chia & Thai Food Supplies at Pasir Panjang Wholesale Centre from November 2017, and was supposed to work there until Apr 24, 2018.

However, his permission to work there was cancelled in February 2018 after he was suspected of breaking the rules for his employment, and he was supposed to return to the supervision centre but did not.

He is also accused of rioting along Beach Road in front of Golden Mile Food Centre at about 3.30am on Apr 5 last year with three other men.

The group allegedly punched and kicked a victim, and used a helmet to hit him.

Two months later at around June 2018, the accused allegedly took methamphetamine.

He had been admitted to a drug rehabilitation centre for taking meth twice, in 2011 and in 2016.