Singapore couple put sisters through "hell"
By Mohd Farhaan Shah
The Star/Asia News Network
Friday, Apr 27, 2012
JOHOR BARU - Two sisters were rescued from "hell" when police detained their father and stepmother, both Singapore nationals, who had been abusing them with a hockey stick.
The man and woman, aged 40 and 39 years respectively, were arrested at about 2pm on Tuesday at their home at Kampung Melayu Gelang Patah here immediately after the older sister lodged a police report.
The 14-year-old girl decided to lodge the report to save herself and her sister, 12, as they could no longer bear being hit and slapped almost every day.
They also had their heads shaven.
Their 10-year-old brother, however, seemed to have been spared any abuse, according to Nusajaya OCPD Supt Noor Hashim Mohamed.
"The two girls have bruises all over their bodies while there is no sign of injury on the boy," he said here yesterday.
"Initial investigations revealed that the couple physically abused the girls by slapping and hitting them with a hockey stick."
The couple have been staying in the area since 2007 and taught music from their home.
He added that the man had divorced the mother of the children several years ago and did not allow her to make any contact with them.
Supt Noor Hashim said the children's biological mother had been contacted to facilitate investigations.
The children have been handed over to the state Welfare Department while police seek to extend the remand of the couple to Saturday to facilitate investigations under the Child Act 2001.
Department director Khadijah Abdullah said the two girls wanted to live with their mother and her family in Batu Pahat.
The boy, however, has decided to stay with his father.
Khadijah added: "We don't know how long the girls have been abused. The children will receive counselling while we continue to monitor them."
