A Filipino domestic helper was sentenced to seven weeks in prison Tuesday for child abuse after an accidental kitchen incident left a one-year-old boy with severe burns requiring skin grafts.
Nora Campos Navarro, 44, was convicted at Shatin Magistrates’ Court after a rice cooker toppled onto the child on March 3, causing serious injuries at a residence in Kwong Sin Street, Sha Tin.
According to court documents, Navarro had placed the infant on the kitchen floor while preparing food. The child grabbed the power cord, causing the appliance to fall and spill hot water over both of them.
The toddler suffered second-degree burns on his right hand, left foot, and right forearm, with the latter injury necessitating a skin graft using artificial dermis.
While acknowledging Navarro had no prior criminal record, the magistrate determined the child’s injuries were severe enough to warrant a custodial sentence. The initial eight-week jail term was reduced to seven weeks.
The defense argued the incident was an unintentional moment of carelessness during routine childcare. However, the court emphasized the significant medical treatment required by the child’s injuries.
Navarro, who has already lost her employment and spent two weeks in custody, will serve the remainder of her sentence.
