A caregiver was sentenced to a year in jail and fined RM15,000 for neglect leading to the death of 15-month-old Baby Syifa in 2022.
SEREMBAN: The caregiver of infant Nour Rania Asyifaa Yuseri, known as Baby Syifa, was sentenced to one year’s imprisonment and fined RM15,000 by the Sessions Court here today.
Judge N Kanageswari ordered 41-year-old Khairunnisa Ahmad Damanhuri to begin her prison sentence immediately.
Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional four months of imprisonment.
The judge also ordered Khairunnisa to perform 48 hours of community service within six months of her release.
She was further bound over for good behaviour for one year under a RM5,000 bond, with a family member acting as guarantor.
Khairunnisa was charged with neglecting the 15-month-old child in a manner likely to cause physical injury.
The offence occurred at approximately 12.30 pm on February 22, 2022, at a childcare centre in Bandar Sri Sendayan.
She was charged under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to RM50,000, or both.
On July 31, 2024, a Coroner’s Court ruled the cause of Baby Syifa’s death was compression of the neck.
Coroner Datin Surita Budin found the death was not accidental but resulted from the infant being left in a suspended position in a cradle by the caregiver.
A total of 28 witnesses, including the victim’s parents, testified during the inquest proceedings which began on September 22, 2022.
The prosecution was led by Negeri Sembilan director of public prosecutions Ku Hayati Ku Haron.
The accused was represented by counsel S Kavittha.