A five-year-old girl was trapped inside a GetGO rental car for 20 minutes before SCDF officers rescued her. The incident happened at 11:00 PM on Friday, April 25, 2025, near an HDB block in Woodlands.
The child’s mother reported that her family of four was planning to use the GetGO car to return home. After unlocking the vehicle through the mobile app, she allowed her daughter to enter first. The doors then locked automatically, trapping the child inside.
When the mother tried to unlock the doors through the app again, she received an “information error” message. She contacted GetGO’s customer service, but after five minutes of attempts, staff couldn’t remotely unlock the doors.
“My daughter was crying. I was afraid she would become emotionally distressed, so I tried to comfort her while staying on the phone with customer service,” the mother said.
Video footage shows the shared car parked in an open-air car park below the HDB block. The girl attempted to press the unlock button from inside, but the doors remained locked.
The mother expressed feeling helpless watching her frightened daughter through the car window. “Can you imagine that feeling? Seeing my daughter alone inside the car and not being able to do anything about it,” she said.
Due to safety concerns, the mother called SCDF for assistance. SCDF personnel pried open the car door and freed the girl.
The video shows SCDF officers around the vehicle. Once they opened the driver’s door, the child immediately hugged her father. She appeared visibly shaken with swollen, red eyes from crying.
When asked if she was okay, the girl nodded slightly.
GetGO told Shin Min Daily News that user safety is their priority and they are investigating the incident seriously.
The company stated this was their first incident of this kind. They’re examining why the door locking system failed.
GetGO has removed the affected vehicle from service and plans to review their emergency procedures.
The company is maintaining contact with the family, offering support and updates on their investigation. They confirmed the family won’t be held responsible for any damage to the vehicle.
