We share this story as a cautionary tale for all of you with helpers looking after your little ones. Yes, there are some absolute gems who look after your children as if they were her own - with love, care, caution and devotion.
Then there are others like this maid: irresponsible, unethical and downright cruel. Fortunately for her employers, the maid was caught red-handed before she could inflict even more harm on this little one.
Here is what Amy*, who shared a public Facebook post on behalf of her friend (the employer of the maid), said:
"Recently, my friend fired her maid as she caught her maid abusing her child on a CCTV footage when she was away. The maid didn't think that her actions will be caught on camera as she switched off the lights but little did she know that the CCTV had infrared function.
"When the maid was confronted, she denied that she had ever hit the baby and she swore that she never laid hands on the baby but when my friend's husband showed her this clip she said she was just merely "wiping" off grains of rice that was stuck on his hair.
"My friend wish to share this pic of her maid to the public so that this maid will not be hired by others in case the agency intends to 'recycle' her."
**This incident took place in Malaysia. The video has since been deleted and below is a screengrab of the incident.
How do you know if your maid is hurting your child?
It's a tough question and not a nice place to be in if you suspect that your little one might be at the receiving end of your helper's wrath. But there are a few red flags you can watch out for that could indicate this, so you can then take the next steps needed.
- Watch out for changes in your child's behaviour when your maid is around. Does your little one appear fearful, anxious, or refuse to stay with her, even after your maid has been with you for some time? If yes, then the situation warrants more investigation.
- Look for obvious signs of physical abuse such as bruises, cuts and scratches. While it's true that active babies do hurt themselves quite often, if these injuries happen too often, then it might be an indication that all is not right.
- Your child looks dirty and unkept most of the time. Again, it's normal for little kids to get quite messy. But if you notice constant dirty, heavy nappies that are not changed, grimy fingers or dirty clothes, it could be a sign that your maid is neglecting the needs of your little one.
Parents, remember you always have the option of installing a CCTV camera such as this mum did. But of course, this needs to be done after discussing the pros and cons with other members of your family.
The point of this article is not to generalise that all helpers are like the woman in this video. But, it does serve as a reminder to always stay aware and not let your guard down when the safety and wellbeing of your child are at stake.
*Not her real name. This article is based on a public Facebook post.
(Also read: 4 tips on installing a CCTV camera to monitor your maid)