Girl testifies vs Filipino nanny

Eastern Law Courts Building

A 10-year-old girl gave her evidence in court against their former domestic worker who was accused of beating her up in March in their house in North Point.

In a hearing on July 14 at a court at the Eastern Magistracy, the girl, who could not be named for legal reasons, said that on the evening of  March 17, she had some words with her grandmother.

The girl then went to her bedroom and began venting her frustration by saying what she wanted to tell her grandmother to a wall. She then called Emerolyne to her room and scolded the latter about misplacing some of her stuff.

The helper then allegedly became angry and started hitting the child. The child said she was lifted from her armpits and then thrown onto the bed. Her head was also bumped twice on the corner of the bed.

The child said that after the incident, the defendant left her room and went to the kitchen and started washing the dishes.

The girl also said that while hitting her she saw Emerolyne smiling.

After the incident, the girl said she called her maternal grandmother to come back to the house.

She followed Emerolyne to confront the latter about her action.

Under cross-examination, the child admitted that apart from some minor arguments with the defendant, their relationship was “OK” in the three years the Filipino helper was at their home.

She also admitted that after the incident and while she was in the hospital for medical examinations, she sent a text message to Emerolyne saying “I love you very much, but I can’t see you anymore. You can still call me and check with me on Facebook”.

The child also admitted that she had asked Emerolyne for a kiss on the lips.

The child’s grandmother also gave evidence and recounted that on the evening of the incident, after having dinner at the home of her daughter, son-in-law, she was in a rush to leave so she could exercise and go back to her home in Tseung Kwan O.

However, her granddaughter was “making a fuss” and wanted her to stay in the flat, but she said her parents were about to come home soon.

Several minutes after leaving the house, the grandmother received a phone call from the girl.

The grandmother said she heard the girl crying and asking her to come back because “cheche or Malyne” was hurting her.

The grandmother told her granddaughter to calm down, stay home, and keep the peace with the defendant.

After the phone call, the grandmother then walked back to house. While walking she received another call from her granddaughter and  she said the granddaughter was even crying harder that time.

“Grandma, please return soon. Cheche is beating me to death. I’m in great pain,” the witness quoted her granddaughter as telling her.

After several minutes, she returned to the house and found the defendant washing the dishes in the kitchen, and her granddaughter was crying.

The granddaughter then told her grandmother that “cheche hit” her.

The defendant walked out of the kitchen, when the grandmother asked what happened.

As the grandmother’s English was poor, she then decided to call the employment agency to report the incident.

She also lifted her granddaughter’s shirt and saw some red patches in the abdomen and in the back and took photos of them.

Under cross-examination, the grandmother admitted that her granddaughter had a habit of blaming other people for her misdeeds, and that the latter was seeking some psychological treatment.

She also said the defendant had complained to her that the child had asked to kiss her on the lips.

Asked by the duty lawyer if the defendant had also complained that the child wanted to kiss the helper’s breasts, the grandmother said she could not remember.

A pediatrician also gave evidence in court and said the injuries the girl sustained were “consistent” with the story that she told of how she got them.

The case was adjourned to August 10 for the continuation of the trial.