Former Kinderland preschool teacher gets fresh charges of abusing 3 other children
Lin Min is accused of hitting a boy's buttocks five times with a book and restraining a girl to a chair to force her to drink water.
Lin Min arrives at the State Courts on Feb 28, 2024. (Photo: CNA/Eugene Goh)
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SINGAPORE: A former preschool teacher who was seen in videos allegedly rough-handling children has been charged with abusing three other kids.
This is on top of her previous charge involving a 23-month-old girl.
Lin Min, 34, was given a total of five new charges on Wednesday (Feb 28), comprising three counts of ill-treating a child and two of using criminal force.
All the alleged fresh offences occurred at a Kinderland preschool between May and July last year.
Lin is accused of forcing a three-year-old boy to lie down in a rough manner, handling him roughly and using criminal force on him by tipping a milk bottle into his mouth while he was lying down on the floor.
She is also accused of ill-treating a three-year-old girl by restraining her to a chair and pouring water into her mouth.
Lin also allegedly used criminal force on a two-year-old boy by using a book to hit his buttocks five times.
A gag order issued by the court prevents the publication of anything that could lead to the identification of the victims. After a request made by the prosecution on Wednesday, this extends to the locations where the incidents occurred.
Lin was first charged in August with ill-treating a 23-month-old girl by forcing her to lie down and pouring water into her mouth.
This allegedly occurred on Jun 30, 2023, at the same location.
After footage of the alleged abuse went viral, some parents withdrew their children from the preschool.
The Early Childhood Development Agency said Lin was barred from working in the preschool sector and issued a warning.
On Wednesday, Lin's defence lawyer Koh Boon Yang from Kalidass Law asked for an adjournment to take instructions on the new charges.
He also asked for a postponement of her pre-trial conference already slated for Mar 1, but was told to make an application for this via the relevant system.
Lin is out on bail of S$15,000 (US$11,145).
If convicted of ill-treating a child under the Children and Young Persons Act, she could be jailed for up to eight years, fined up to S$8,000, or both.
If convicted of using criminal force, she could be jailed for up to three months, fined up to S$1,500, or both.
