A 61-year-old man who worked as a cook at a Singapore pre-school has been convicted of molesting three toddlers aged between one and two years old.
Teo Guan Huat, a Malaysian and Singapore permanent resident, pleaded guilty on 27 Oct 2025 to three counts of molestation of minors. Another five charges will be considered during sentencing.
What Happened
Teo inserted his hands into the toddlers’ diapers and molested them during naptime. The offences took place between May and November 2023.
He committed these acts two to three times per week. Other teachers were present in the classroom.
In November 2023, Teo molested a two-year-old girl at least nine times over approximately one hour. Around 20 children and several teachers were in the classroom at the time.
He positioned himself strategically and raised his right leg to block the view of other teachers. He would stop if a teacher looked in his direction.
Discovery
An employee discovered Teo’s actions on 16 Nov 2023 while reviewing CCTV footage for an unrelated matter. The footage showed Teo inserting his hand under a two-year-old girl’s diaper.
The school’s management committee confronted him and asked him to leave. He resigned on 23 Nov 2023.
A police report was filed on 2 Dec 2023, according to The Straits Times.
The school’s CCTV system was reformatted between November and December. This erased prior footage.
Police arrested Teo on 4 Dec 2023 after recovering the deleted footage.
What Teo Said
Teo admitted to molesting three girls aged two or younger. He knew them by name.
He told authorities he had erectile dysfunction and had never been in a relationship. He said he “wanted to see and wanted to touch”.
Teo explained he targeted children instead of adults because children could not speak. He believed it would be harder to get caught.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Claire Poh said the victims felt close to him and would hug him.
Teo was diagnosed with paedophilic disorder after his arrest.
His Job Scope
Teo was employed solely as a cook at the pre-school. He worked there for about a year before his resignation.
He was allowed to escort children for their showers, set up their mattresses, and pat them to sleep during naptime.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Quek Lu Yi said these duties were not part of what he had been employed to do.
Four Women Charged
Four women aged between 48 and 66 have been charged over allegedly covering up the incident. Their identities are protected by a gag order.
They received between one and three charges each.
Sentencing
The prosecution has sought 10 years’ jail for Teo. Deputy Public Prosecutor Claire Poh said the victims were extremely vulnerable. She added that Teo specifically targeted them because they would never be able to report him.
Poh said parents should be able to feel safe when they entrust their toddlers to pre-schools. She added there was “some abuse of trust” as Teo was close to the victims.
The parents of one of the victims attended the hearing but declined comment. They said they were not sure which of the three victims described in court was their daughter.
The judge adjourned the case to 10 Nov 2025. For each count of molesting a minor, Teo could be jailed for up to five years and fined. He cannot be caned as he is above 50 years old.
The name of the pre-school and the identities of the victims remain protected by a court-imposed gag order.
