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| Community where crime was allegedly committed (Google Maps photo) |
The 28-year-old Filipina domestic helper arrested for brain injuries sustained by a four-month-old baby in her care, was returned to jail after her offer of $50,000 cash bail was rejected during her first hearing today at Fanling Court.
Acting Principal Magistrate Veronica Heung adjourned the
case to April 9 against the Filipina, identified only as A.J.R.E.N., and remanded
her in jail, saying she was facing a serious charge and lacked local ties that
would ensure she would return to the court.
Magistrate Heung agreed with the
prosecutor who said the baby was so badly injured and had a slim chance of
surviving at the Intensive Care Unit of the Prince of Wales Hospital, that the
charge against A.J.R.E.N. may have to be upgraded from the present “assault by
those in charge of child or young person,” contrary to section 27(1) of the
Offenses Against the Person Ordinance.
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| PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE |
The prosecutor’s objection to her bail
prevailed despite additional conditions offered by Yasmin Zahir, the lawyer
hired by the Migrant Workers’ Office at the Consulate, such as reporting regularly
to a police station, not leaving Hong Kong, not going back to the place of
offense and not contacting the baby’s parents.
The lawyer added that since A.J.R.E.N. would
be staying at a shelter operated by the Philippine Consulate in Kennedy Town,
her presence in future court dates would be ensured. However, she failed to convince the magistrate.
No other details of the case were
made available, with Zahir asking for transcripts and copy of the video-recorded
interview conducted by police on the Filipina.
In court to lend support to the Filipina was the newly installed Philippine Labor Attache to Hong Kong, Cesar L. Chavez, Jr.
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| Basahin ang detalye! |
The police complaint alleged that the Filipina , “being a
person over the age of 16 years who had the custody, charge or care of boy X, a
child aged 4 months, did willfully assault the said boy X in a manner likely to
cause the said boy X unnecessary suffering or injury to her health.”
The alleged assault took place last Jan. 18 at the employer’s flat in
Tsiu Keng village, on Fan Kam Road, Fanling.
Police said in a news briefing yesterday that the baby was taken to North District Hospital early on Sunday where the brain injuries were discovered.
He was immediately transferred to Prince of Wales Hospital for emergency surgery, and remains in intensive care.
CCTV footage from the family’s home reportedly showed the Filipina harming the infant in the early hours of Sunday.
But the police said the home surveillance camera covered only the living room area, and no severe abuse was seen in the footage from the past few days.
Read previous reporting here: https://www.sunwebhk.com/2026/01/filipina-dh-faces-child-abuse-rap-after.html
