Parents jailed over fatal abuse of 8-month-old son

Parents of an 8-month-old boy named Trevor Neo Yu Hin were sentenced to prison terms on October 21 for their role in his death due to severe abuse. Chloe Gan Ci Xuan, 23, received 15 years and three months in prison, while her husband, Neo Jia Ming, 27, was handed a 16-year sentence. Both pleaded guilty to multiple charges related to the abuse and death of their son. Gan faced charges including causing the death of a child, ill-treating a child, and permitting such treatment. Neo was charged with allowing the death of a child, ill-treating a child, permitting Gan's ill-treatment of Trevor, and domestic abuse against his wife. The court heard that Trevor endured abuse throughout his short life. His parents used various methods to stop his crying, including shaking him, covering his mouth and nose, and smothering him. These actions often resulted in bruises across his body. Neo slapped Trevor, inserted his fingers into the child's mouth, and hit him. He also repeatedly pinched Trevor's fingers to provoke a reaction, finding it amusing. The couple exchanged messages discussing the abuse and even joked about the potential harm caused by shaking the infant. Trevor was pronounced dead at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) at approximately 12:20 am on September 2. The couple was arrested following a police report filed by hospital staff. An autopsy could not definitively determine the cause of death. The court was informed that Gan moved out of her parents' home to live with Neo in his Hougang flat after discovering she was pregnant in April 2022. Justice Hoo Sheau Peng emphasized that despite the couple's youth and inexperience, they were not lacking in support. They were well-supported by family members and had access to a nanny. However, the couple made light of their physical abuse of Trevor and the possible negative consequences. The judge stated that both individuals must be held fully accountable for their cruel actions, noting that the couple's behavior was comparable to another tragic case involving a four-year-old girl named Megan Khung. During the sentencing, Gan showed visible emotion, wiping away tears and covering her face at several points. Neo remained expressionless throughout the proceedings. After the hearing, Gan's parents spoke to her before she was taken away. Her mother reached through the glass to communicate with her daughter, who nodded as she listened. Similarly, Neo's mother and sister spoke to him before he was removed from the courtroom. The couple married in August 2023, shortly after Gan discovered she was pregnant with Trevor in April of the same year. Following the birth, Gan initially resided with her parents and a confinement nanny before relocating to live with her husband and his uncles. From February 2024, the couple employed a nanny to care for Trevor during weekdays, while other family members assisted on weekends. Gan realized she could silence her baby by shaking him vigorously, a method she observed her husband using. The new parents frequently shook Trevor to stop him from crying and later began covering his nose and mouth or smothering him. Over the course of seven months, Trevor was subjected to repeated assaults by his parents, leaving him with bruises. His father would slap him so hard that it left bruises or pinch his fingers forcefully to observe his reaction. Neither parent intervened when witnessing the other abusing the infant. There were two instances of medical attention. In January 2024, Trevor was hospitalized at KKH for about a week after losing consciousness when Gan shook him. No injuries were detected during this visit. Another incident occurred in early April 2024 when a nanny noticed bleeding under the child's tongue and insisted on seeing a doctor. The couple took their son to KKH, where a physician noted local trauma under the child's tongue with some redness. They left the hospital with the child, and Neo informed Gan that he had probed the boy's mouth to prevent crying, leading to the bleeding. In May 2024, Gan's mother noticed bruises on the child and cautioned her daughter to cease hitting the infant. Around early August 2024, Neo advised his wife not to strike the child at all until after a doctor's appointment, fearing that the doctor might detect the bruises and suspect abuse.