IPOH, Jan 7 — Two daycare centre teachers pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court today to charges of neglecting a child under their care, resulting in the child's drowning in April 2023.
S. Esther Christina, 60, and M. Manisah, 35, made their pleas after the charges were read before Judge Azizah Ahmad.
The charges stated that both, as caretakers of four-year-old V. Thanes Nair at Kinder Labz Sdn Bhd in Chemor, left the child without proper supervision at 10.07am on April 17, 2023.
They were charged under Section 33(1)(8) of the Child Act 2001, read together with Section 134 of the Penal Code, which carries a penalty of a fine not exceeding RM20,000, imprisonment of up to five years, or both, along with community service of 36 to 240 hours upon conviction.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohamad Nazreen Zabarudin proposed bail at RM15,000 per accused.
However, lawyer Gary Xavier, representing Esther, requested the bail be reduced to RM2,500, citing that his client would retire in a week, faced health issues, and was undergoing treatment for brain cancer.
Meanwhile, lawyer Jason Anthony, representing Manisah, appealed for reduced bail, explaining that his client was pursuing a master’s degree, which required tuition fees, and she earned only RM1,900 monthly.
The judge then set bail at RM3,000 for each accused and fixed April 8 for the next mention.
In April 2023, Thanes’ mother D. Nilaveni, 40, alleged that the management of the kindergarten where her only child was cared for had been negligent, leading to his death.
Thanes died at the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital after being hospitalised for six days.
— Bernama
