Tam said the four-month-old’s “shaken baby syndrome” was not caused by a single incident, although the exact timing and circumstances remain under investigation.
Anyone convicted of abusing or neglecting a child in their care may face up to 10 years in jail, Tam said.
“VIOLENTLY SHAKEN” AND “CHOKED”
The case had already been in the spotlight after the children’s father posted allegations on Facebook on Tuesday.
Lo claimed that his four-month-old son was “violently shaken” and “choked” by his domestic helper.
“This led to bleeding in his brain,” the man wrote. “(He) even suffered sudden convulsions around midnight before losing consciousness. We immediately called an ambulance to send (him) to the hospital.”
In a separate interview with HK01 that was published on Tuesday, Lo provided further details about the events leading up to his son’s hospitalisation.
Lo said his four-month-old son became “unresponsive” after being fed half a bottle of milk by the helper.
He later reviewed the home’s CCTV footage and said it showed the helper burping his son while taking him into a bedroom. About 40 minutes later, the helper told Lo that the infant still showed no response.
He told HK01 that he initially thought his son had choked on milk and instructed the helper to pat the baby’s back, but the child did not regain consciousness. Lo then called an ambulance to take his son to the hospital.
The infant was taken to North District Hospital in Sheung Shui. An initial examination by the doctor showed that the boy had a brain haemorrhage and showed signs of convulsions. Bruises were also found on the boy’s body.
The boy was later transferred to Prince of Wales Hospital in Shatin that same day, where he was admitted to the hospital’s paediatric intensive care unit for treatment. Doctors there subsequently contacted the police, Lo said.
“They initially thought we (the parents) had abused the baby,” he said.
In 2024, Hong Kong passed a Bill requiring workers in 25 professions, including in healthcare and education, to report to the authorities suspected cases involving serious harm to children, defined as a person aged below 18, or face fines or imprisonment. The new law took effect on Tuesday.
After Lo handed over his home’s CCTV footage to the police, the migrant domestic helper was arrested on suspicion of ill-treating the infant.
According to HK01, Lo said the 28-year-old migrant domestic helper was hired last August and had a good relationship with the family.
Meanwhile, the 45-year-old woman was his family’s former helper, Lo said, describing her as a “family friend” who often visited the household.
In his Facebook post on Tuesday, Lo said he hoped his account would prompt families to “pay more attention to how foreign domestic helpers are treating their employers’ children”.
“I hope that people can rally positive energy and support for (my) child, and that he will overcome this crisis.”
Source: CNA
