A 38-year-old woman has been formally charged over a fatal traffic accident in Chinatown that killed a six-year-old Indonesian girl and left her mother seriously injured, according to a report by The Straits Times.
The incident occurred on Feb 6 at about 11.50am near the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, when the woman was allegedly driving out of an open-air carpark along Spring Street. She is accused of failing to keep a proper lookout while making a right turn, colliding with two pedestrians crossing the road.
The victims were identified as six-year-old Sheyna Lashira Smaradiani and her 31-year-old mother, Ms Raisha Anindra Pascasiswi, who were visiting Singapore from Indonesia. Both were taken to hospital after the crash, but the child later died from her injuries. Her remains were repatriated to Indonesia on Feb 8 and buried the same day in South Jakarta, while her mother has since been discharged.
The driver appeared in the State Courts on April 8, accompanied by her husband, where she was handed two charges: driving without due care and attention causing death, and driving without due care and attention causing grievous hurt.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Vishnu Menon requested a six-week adjournment, stating that investigations are still ongoing. The case has been fixed for a pre-trial conference on May 13, The Straits Times reported.
A gag order was sought under the Children and Young Persons Act, as the woman’s young son, who was in the car at the time of the incident, is a potential witness. The prosecution did not object to the application, noting that the order should extend to the woman due to her relationship with the child.
The defence argued that the gag order was necessary to protect the child from public scrutiny and online harassment, including xenophobic comments circulating on the internet.
If convicted, the woman faces significant penalties. Causing death by driving without due care and attention carries a maximum sentence of three years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to S$10,000, or both.
The second charge, involving grievous hurt, carries up to two years’ jail, a fine of up to S$5,000, or both, along with potential disqualification from driving.
TIMELINE
Feb 6, 2026: Fatal crash in Chinatown kills six-year-old Indonesian girl; mother seriously injured.
Feb 8, 2026: Child’s body repatriated to Indonesia and buried.
Feb–March 2026: Police investigations ongoing
Early April 2026: Family issues statement thanking public support.
April 8, 2026: Driver charged with driving without due care causing death and grievous hurt; gag order granted.
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