A local man has been arrested for attacking his fifteen-month-old daughter and beating his pregnant wife, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Leng Kam Lon said during a special press conference yesterday.
The suspect surnamed Lei is a 25-year-old waiter. He lives with his wife, daughter and his mother-in-law in a flat in the northern district. His wife is 20-weeks pregnant.
According to Leng, Lei was annoyed by his daughter’s “continuous” crying and punched her in the head several times on Monday. His wife immediately shielded their daughter but Lei kept trying to punch the baby. After the mother-in-law returned home, the two women stopped Lei from attacking the girl and reported the case to the police.
Lei was arrested in his flat. While his wife did not sustain any injuries, his daughter who was bleeding was taken to hospital for outpatient treatment.
His wife told the police that her husband had beaten and slapped her in the past when they were arguing over trivial family matters, including an incident where he hit her in the stomach on February 1 although she was pregnant. The wife said that since a medical checkup confirmed that the foetus was not hurt, she did not inform the police.
Leng said that Lei had occasionally pinched their daughter’s cheeks before, causing her to have a swollen face each time.
On Monday the girl sustained injuries on the back of her head, neck and the right side of her face. Her upper lip frenulum was also ripped, according to a doctor.
Under questioning, Lei admitted to tweaking his daughter’s cheeks, but claimed that he had merely pushed his wife. Leng said that Lei refused to cooperate inh the investigation.
Lei has been transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP), facing an aggravated domestic violence charge, according to Leng.
Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Leng Kam Lon (left), accompanied by an unnamed PJ investigator, look on during yesterday’s press conference at the PJ headquarters.
Judiciary Police (PJ) officers escort the hooded suspect to a PJ vehicle yesterday.
– Photos: William Chan
