A 34-year-old Hong Kong woman charged with child abuse was granted bail at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.
The defendant, surnamed Yau, was charged with child abuse offenses from May 8 to 13 last year at a flat in Shing Hing House in Kwai Shing East Estate in the city’s New Territories, Ming Pao Daily reported.
The court heard that Yau was hired as a babysitter for a one-year-old girl in February in 2016. The baby was to stay at her home every week from Sunday night to Friday evening. The baby’s mother would take her child over the weekend.
According to the mother, after two weeks, the baby would cry when she met the defendant and that bruises were found on her body.
In late March, the mother claims to have found bruises and swelling on the inner part of the girl’s thighs, then two weeks later, bruises were also found on the girl’s back.
When the mother questioned Yau, she replied that the bruises had been made when the girl tried to climb on her bed.
However, the mother was suspicious and informed the defendant on May 8 that her contract would be terminated.
Five days later, when the mother brought the child home, she reports that she found redness on her head, bruises on her back and scratches on her right thigh. She finally called the police, but Yau denies abusing the girl.
The judge found the defendant had no case to answer and postponed the trial until October 10.