THE Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court today sentenced a babysitter to a year in jail and fine of RM10,000, in default two months’ jail, for neglecting an 11-month-old child.

This resulted in the boy being injured and is now partially paralysed.

Judge Mahyon Talib handed down the sentence on Azlina Lizawati Ahmad Tarmizi, 37, after the woman changed her plea to guilty when the case came up for mention.

Besides the jail sentence, which was to be served from today, and fine, Mahyon also ordered the woman to be placed on a good behaviour bond with bail of RM5,000 for three years and to do 180 hours of community service.

Azlina was charged with neglecting the child, who was then under her care, at a house in Desa Tun Hussein Onn, Jalan Jelatek, Wangsa Maju, between 7am and 10am on July 23 last year.

The charge was framed under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001, which carries a maximum fine of RM50,000, jail of up to 20 years, or both.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Nurul Shahieza Md Hazai requested the court to impose a severe punishment, taking into account the serious injuries suffered by the victim that has now rendered him disabled for life.

“The accused was also not honest and was irresponsible, as well as not registered as a babysitter with the Social Welfare Department. She also has no certificate or qualification on early childhood education.

“The increase in cases of ill-treatment, neglect and abuse of children by baby sitters in Malaysia clearly reflects the need for a severe sentence to be imposed as a lesson to the accused and the society,” she added.

In mitigation, lawyer Raihanah Abdul Razak, from the National Legal Aid Foundation, who represented the babysitter, said her client, who has three children with the youngest aged five months, was remorseful.

She also told the court that it was Azlina’s first offence.

According to the facts of the case, the child was left by his parents in a heathy condition at the babysitter’s house at 7am, and at 10am was picked up by the father after being informed that the child was crying non-stop.

Feeling that his baby was in pain, the father took the child to a clinic, which later instructed him to bring the boy to a hospital for X-ray, where it was later found that the child had a fractured spine and nerve injuries.

A medical report by the hospital showed the baby suffered permanent injuries, with the victim unable to move his body.

Following the incident, the victim is permanently disabled and has since been issued with a People With Disability card. – Bernama, October 4, 2021.