The teenagers involved in an incident whereby one of them flipped a yellow "Wet Floor" signboard that struck a child along Keong Saik Road outside the Sri Layan Sithi Vinayagar Temple will not be charged.
On Jan. 26, the police confirmed that the two teenagers involved were issued a "stern warning" and will not be prosecuted.
A video that was shared online showed a man hitting a signboard that struck a child, before running away with three other people.
A woman in the video could be heard shouting at the group to identify themselves.
Comments posted on Instagram in response to the video claimed that the group was seen behaving like they were drunk near the Guild House, which is also along Keong Saik Road.
The teens were caught at Serangoon MRT station at around 9:45pm on the same day (Nov. 8), when police officers spotted two of them holding onto a "wet floor" signage.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the two 18-year-olds were part of the same group behind the incident along Keong Saik Road.
The police said the other two teens were then traced.
In response to queries from Mothership, the police said they administered a "stern warning" to an 18-year-old teenager on Jan. 21, 2022, for an offence of committing a rash act.
They had done so "after careful consideration of the facts and circumstances of the case, and in consultation with the Attorney-General's Chambers" (AGC), the police added.
The teenager had wanted to play a prank on his friend who was holding on to a yellow plastic "Wet Floor" sign in his hand.
He had sneaked up to his friend from behind and smacked the sign from his friend's hand before running off, which sent the sign flying out of his friend's hand.
The sign then hit a child who was standing nearby, causing her to suffer some bruises.
According to the police, the teenager was remorseful over his action during police investigations and told them that he did not intend to hit the child and did not realise the child was hit.
He was apologetic for the harm and distress caused to the child and wrote a note of apology to the child and her mother.
In addition, he offered to make amends, including full payment of the child's medical expenses.
The note of apology and offer of compensation have been conveyed to the family, the police said.
Stern warning for dishonest misappropriation of property
The police said they further administered a stern warning to the teenager's 18-year-old friend, who was holding the "Wet Floor" sign that he had picked up along Keong Saik Road.
This friend has been warned for an offence of dishonest misappropriation of property.
Earlier, he had apologised to the child's mother at the scene, the police added.
According to the police, investigations revealed that this second person was not responsible for the harm caused to the child.
The police said they have taken their clean records and relative youth into consideration in their decision to warn both persons instead of prosecution.
Specifically for the teenager who had smacked the sign from his friend's hand, the police and AGC took into account the fact that he had not intended to cause hurt to the child, was remorseful about the act afterwards, and had sought to make amends through an apology and an offer to pay for the medical expenses incurred.
Statement from child's parents
According to a public statement by the parents of the child that was shared with Wake Up Singapore, the men involved in the case "have been given a warning and [were] not charged".
As they were "disappointed at the outcome", they have lodged a magistrate complaint to prosecute the case privately.
However, the parents believe such action may be futile as the perpetrators may be allowed to leave the country.
They ended their statement by thanking everyone for their messages of support.
https://mothership.sg/2022/01/teens-signboard-hit-child/
