A caregiver from Myanmar has admitted to attacking an elderly woman with dementia. CCTV footage caught the 39-year-old helper, Kyal Kyal Tun, assaulting her 90-year-old charge in a HDB flat on January 3, 2025.
The helper pleaded guilty to three counts of using criminal force against the elderly woman. Court records show she was hired by the victim’s grandson to look after both the woman and her 91-year-old husband, who also has dementia.
The elderly woman needed help with daily activities like moving and eating, and wore adult diapers. Her husband, who had diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure, used a walking frame to get around.
Kyal Kyal Tun began working for the family in late 2024. On the night of the attack, she called the grandson’s father around 9 pm to report that the elderly man had fallen in the kitchen.
About an hour later, the elderly man fell again in his bedroom. Instead of helping him immediately, the helper left him on the floor for roughly 20 minutes.
During this time, security footage shows Kyal Kyal Tun carrying the elderly woman to a sofa where the assault took place. She covered the victim’s mouth while restraining her hands, pressed her head against the sofa, and shook her.
The helper forced the victim to hit herself in the face with her own hands. Despite the elderly woman crying for help and saying she “could die,” the assault continued.
The CCTV captured the maid slapping the victim, shoving her head against the sofa repeatedly, and pulling her to the floor. When the elderly woman asked for help getting up, her requests were ignored.
At one point, the victim managed to move into the bedroom where her husband was. About five minutes later, the helper dragged her out, threw her onto the sofa, and bit her right hand.
The footage also shows the maid choking the elderly woman and slamming her against the sofa multiple times. Shortly before 10:45 pm, she grabbed the victim’s hands and pushed them forcefully against the sofa. The elderly woman again said she “could die” and pointed to her jaw, indicating it had swollen.
The grandson discovered the abuse later that night after reviewing the CCTV footage. He filed a police report on January 4, and the victim was taken to Singapore General Hospital the same day.
Medical reports documented 12 bruises ranging from 1cm to 10cm, a 2cm cut on her left arm, a torn toenail, and several broken ribs. However, the examining doctor couldn’t conclusively link all injuries to the helper’s actions.
Police arrested Kyal Kyal Tun on February 17, more than a month after the incident. The Deputy Public Prosecutor told the court that the helper was “very stressed” and “had taken out her frustrations on the victim.”
On April 29, Kyal Kyal Tun pleaded guilty to three counts of using criminal force. A fourth assault charge will be considered during sentencing, which is set for June 4.
