Two babies abused to death between 2021 and 2024; 3 child abuse cases with serious injuries in 20252021年至2024年间，两名婴儿因虐待致死；2025年发生3起儿童虐待致重伤案件。
In 2025, three high risk child abuse cases involved serious injuries but no child died. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Posed photo for family violence and child abuse.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: ST FILE
Published Nov 03, 2026, 08:20 PM
Updated Nov 03, 2026, 08:20 PM
Two Singapore babies died from abuse by their parents between 2021 and 2024, and MSF Protective Service was not alerted before either death, Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli said in Parliamentary reply.
The children were Trevor Neo and Zabelle Peh. Their parents were jailed after severe abuse, including smothering, shaking, head injuries and fractures.
Masagos said caregivers should report suspected abuse to the National Anti-Violence and Sexual Harassment Helpline, even without visible injuries, and professionals must use standard reporting tools to assess such cases.
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SINGAPORE - Two babies died after being abused by their parents between 2021 and 2024, said Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli.
In both cases, his ministry’s Protective Service had not been alerted to the abuse before the children died, Masagos said on Nov 3 in a written parliamentary reply to Nominated MP Kenneth Poon.
The Straits Times understands the two children who died were Trevor Neo and Zabelle Peh. Trevor died at eight months old in September 2024 after his mother hit and smothered him. Zabelle died at two months old in January 2023 from head injuries after her mother forcefully dropped her into a cot.
Poon asked for the number of substantiated cases of child abuse or neglect involving children aged three and under in each of the past five years, and the number of such cases that resulted in serious injuries or death.
He also asked what proportion of such cases was previously reported to child protection agencies.
In 2025, there were 687 child abuse cases involving children from newborns up to age six that required statutory intervention by the MSF’s Protective Service, which manages high-risk child abuse cases.
Of these cases, three involved serious injuries but no child died, Masagos said.
The parliamentary question came after Trevor’s parents were sentenced to jail on Oct 21 . His father Neo Jia Ming, 27, was sentenced to 16 years’ jail, while his 23-year-old mother Chloe Gan was sentenced to 15 years and three months’ jail.
For most of Trevor’s short life , he was hit, shaken and had his mouth and nose covered by his parents’ hands to stop his cries. He died after Gan smothered him, hit him in the face and turned him face down on the mattress to stop his cries.
In 2023, Zabelle died from head injuries after her mother, Sim Liang Xiu, forcefully dropped her into a cot. She was abused by her parents just weeks after being born, and suffered fractures in various parts of her body.
Her father, Peh Wei Jian, 34, was sentenced to seven years’ jail, while 31-year-old Sim was sentenced to eight years’ jail.
Valerie Lee (Pasir Ris-Changi GRC) asked Masagos about the guidance given to caregivers and healthcare professionals who suspect a baby has been abused even when there are no visible injuries.
She asked if reporting protocols allow for early intervention before serious harm occurs, while protecting families from inappropriate or unfounded interventions.
Masagos said that caregivers who suspect a child is abused should report it to the National Anti-Violence and Sexual Harassment Helpline (NAVH) even though they cannot see any injuries.
He added that healthcare and other frontline professionals use standardised child abuse reporting tools to assess cases and determine whether to report them to the NAVH or the police, if the child is in immediate danger.
Masagos said child protection professionals often make difficult assessments based on incomplete and evolving information, including those provided by those caring for the child.
He added: “While no child protection system can uncover every concealment or misrepresentation, or detect every case in time, this does not diminish our collective responsibility to learn from serious cases and continually strengthen how concerns are identified, shared and followed up.”
The first time Trevor was hospitalised was at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) when he was about a month old . The hospital had conducted thorough evaluations and found no injuries.
He was brought again to KKH when he was four months old, after his nanny noticed an injury. He was discharged the same day after a doctor who examined Trevor found he was well, with no tear or bleeding under the tongue.
On Oct 21, the MSF told ST that it appointed an independent review panel for Trevor’s case to identify lessons and recommend further improvements to the child protection system.
“The review highlighted the need for professionals to better recognise and respond to concerns involving infants and young children, and to coordinate support when families come into contact with different services,” said an MSF spokesperson.
These lessons have been shared across the social, healthcare and early childhood sectors.
Theresa Tan is the senior social affairs correspondent at The Straits Times. She covers issues that affect families, youth and vulnerable groups.
Singapore Parliament
Crimes against children/minors
摆拍照片，涉及家庭暴力和虐待儿童。
照片插图：ST 文件
发布于2026年11月3日晚上8:20
更新于2026年11月3日晚上8:20
社会及家庭发展部长马善高在国会答复中表示，2021年至2024年间，两名新加坡婴儿因父母虐待而死亡，而社会及家庭发展部保护服务部门在这两起死亡事件发生前均未接到通知。
这两个孩子分别是 Trevor Neo 和 Zabelle Peh。他们的父母因严重虐待儿童而被判入狱，虐待行为包括窒息、摇晃、头部受伤和骨折。
马萨戈斯表示，即使没有明显的伤痕，护理人员也应该向全国反暴力和性骚扰求助热线报告疑似虐待事件，专业人员必须使用标准报告工具来评估此类案件。
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新加坡——社会及家庭发展部长马善高表示，2021年至2024年间，有两名婴儿因遭受父母虐待而死亡。
马萨戈斯在11月3日给官委议员潘建华的书面国会答复中表示，在这两起案件中，他的部门保护服务部门在儿童死亡前都没有接到虐待警报。
据《海峡时报》了解，两名遇难儿童分别是Trevor Neo和Zabelle Peh。Trevor于2024年9月去世，年仅八个月，死因是母亲殴打并捂住他的口鼻导致窒息。Zabelle于2023年1月去世，年仅两个月，死因是母亲用力将她摔到婴儿床上导致头部受伤。
潘要求提供过去五年中，经证实涉及三岁及以下儿童的虐待或忽视儿童案件的数量，以及导致严重伤害或死亡的此类案件的数量。
他还询问此前有多少此类案件曾向儿童保护机构报告。
2025 年，共有 687 起涉及新生儿至 6 岁儿童的虐待儿童案件需要社会及家庭发展部保护服务部门进行法定干预，该部门负责管理高风险的虐待儿童案件。
马萨戈斯说，在这些案件中，有三起造成严重伤害，但没有儿童死亡。
10月21日，特雷弗的父母被判入狱，之后议会提出了这个问题。他的父亲，27岁的梁嘉明，被判处16年监禁，而他的母亲，23岁的克洛伊·甘，被判处15年零3个月监禁。
在特雷弗短暂的一生中，他大部分时间都遭受殴打、摇晃，父母还用手捂住他的口鼻，阻止他哭泣。最终，甘用手捂住他的脸，打他的脸，然后把他脸朝下按在床垫上，阻止他哭泣，特雷弗就这样死了。
2023年，扎贝尔因头部受伤去世，此前她的母亲沈良秀用力将她摔到婴儿床上。她出生仅几周后就遭到父母虐待，身体多处骨折。
她的父亲，34岁的白伟建，被判处七年有期徒刑；而31岁的沈某被判处八年有期徒刑。
瓦莱丽·李（巴西立樟宜集选区）询问马萨戈斯，如果怀疑婴儿受到虐待，即使没有明显的伤痕，护理人员和医疗保健专业人员应该如何应对。
她询问报告机制是否允许在造成严重伤害之前进行早期干预，同时保护家庭免受不适当或无根据的干预。
马萨戈斯表示，即使看不出任何伤痕，怀疑孩子受到虐待的照护者也应该向全国反暴力和性骚扰求助热线（NAVH）报告。
他还补充说，医疗保健和其他一线专业人员使用标准化的虐童报告工具来评估案件，并确定是否应向 NAVH 或警方报告，如果儿童处于直接危险之中。
马萨戈斯表示，儿童保护专业人员经常根据不完整且不断变化的信息做出艰难的评估，包括照顾孩子的人提供的信息。
他补充道：“虽然没有任何儿童保护系统能够揭露每一起隐瞒或虚假陈述，或者及时发现每一起案件，但这并不能减轻我们从严重案件中吸取教训并不断加强对问题的识别、分享和跟进的集体责任。”
特雷弗第一次住院是在他大约一个月大的时候，地点是竹脚妇幼医院（KKH）。医院对他进行了全面的检查，没有发现任何伤情。
特雷弗四个月大的时候，保姆发现他身上有伤，于是再次把他送到KKH医院。医生检查后发现他身体健康，舌头下没有撕裂或出血，当天就让他出院了。
10 月 21 日，无国界医生组织告诉《海峡时报》，该组织已任命一个独立审查小组来审查特雷弗的案件，以找出经验教训并建议进一步改进儿童保护系统。
无国界医生组织发言人表示：“审查结果凸显了专业人员需要更好地识别和应对涉及婴幼儿的问题，并在家庭与不同服务机构接触时协调支持工作。”
这些经验教训已在社会、医疗保健和幼儿教育领域广泛分享。
特蕾莎·谭是《海峡时报》的资深社会事务记者。她主要报道影响家庭、青年和弱势群体的问题。
新加坡国会
侵害儿童/未成年人的犯罪