Mother sentenced to 8 years for culpable homicide; father receives 7 years for failing to protect infant
A Singaporean couple has been jailed after their two-month-old daughter died from sustained abuse and a fatal head injury. The case exposed months of violence, deception, and parental neglect.
The infant, Zabelle Peh Yu Xuan, born on Nov. 6, 2022, died on Jan. 13, 2023, after being subjected to repeated physical abuse by both parents. Her mother, Sim Liang Xiu, 31, and father, Peh Wei Jian, 34, were sentenced on April 2, 2025.
Cycle of Abuse and Deception
On Jan. 8, 2023, Sim became frustrated after her daughter soiled herself and threw her into a cot, causing blunt force trauma to the head. The following morning, Peh found the baby unresponsive and, instead of telling the truth, the couple devised a false narrative—claiming the baby had accidentally fallen from a bed or been dropped during a bath. When paramedics arrived at their Sembawang Crescent flat, they were told Zabelle had fallen. She was taken first to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, then to KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
Medical reports from both hospitals revealed extensive injuries, including multiple skull fractures, healed rib and arm fractures, and bleeding in the brain—signs consistent with both new and old trauma. An autopsy confirmed a devastating 11cm skull fracture. Despite surgery and intensive care, Zabelle was declared brain dead on Jan. 13, 2023.
Text Messages Exposed Abuse Timeline
Investigations uncovered text messages between the couple discussing abuse as early as mid-November 2022, less than two weeks after Zabelle’s birth. Sim admitted to slapping, biting, and beating the baby during emotional outbursts. Peh, though occasionally pleading for her to stop, himself admitted to pinching, slapping, and throwing the infant. In one message, Sim complained about Zabelle’s constant crying. Peh responded, “If we keep like that beat her or what, sure one day we go police station.”
Mental Health Considerations and Sentencing
Psychiatric assessments played a role in court proceedings. Sim was diagnosed with postnatal depression, which impaired her mental responsibility, though the judge maintained this could not excuse her actions. Peh, previously diagnosed with learning disabilities, was found not to meet the criteria for intellectual disability in 2023. Justice Dedar Singh Gill rejected Peh’s defense that he was under Sim’s control, stating he made conscious choices and failed to protect his child.
Sim received eight years’ jail for culpable homicide, and Peh was sentenced to seven years for failing to protect Zabelle. Charges of child abuse were also considered in sentencing. Deputy Public Prosecutor Timotheus Koh emphasized that while mental illness warranted some sympathy, “depression cannot be a licence to kill or harm others.” The tragedy leaves deep scars in public consciousness, prompting renewed calls for awareness and intervention in domestic abuse involving children.
This case has shaken Singaporean society, revealing how silent abuse within homes can end in fatality. The need for greater mental health support, stronger social safety nets, and timely intervention is clearer than ever—especially in preventing further tragedies among the most vulnerable.
Sources: Mothership (2025), The Straits Times (2025)
Keywords: Zabelle Peh Yu Xuan, Sim Liang Xiu, Peh Wei Jian, Singapore Infant Abuse, Parents Jailed
