<![CDATA[Toddler fell to death 2 months after maid saved his life]]>SINGAPORE - Last April, a toddler was saved as he was about to fall from a fourth-floor balcony. Two months later, he was not so lucky.


Eric Wong Yu Hao, a year and nine months old, fell to his death after squeezing through the bars of the balcony at a Hillview Green condominium in Upper Bukit Timah.

State Coroner Imran Abdul Hamid, while saying he found that the death was accidental on Wednesday, urged those who look after young children to check possible dangers in their homes and put in safety measures. He pointed out that there are online groups offering solutions to make homes safe.

\"While I don't think anyone can guarantee that the suggested solutions will be 100 per cent effective, at the very least caregivers can have the peace of mind that what could possibly be done to make the home safe for young children, has been done,\" he said.

The family's domestic worker, Ms Rebecca Lubas Rallos, cried as she testified how last April, she was in the kitchen when Eric's father, Mr Wong Tse Lap, 60, also came in.

Realising that no one was looking after Eric, she ran into the living room. Finding the toddler halfway through the balcony's bars, she saved him.

She then suggested that the 14cm to 16.5cm gaps between the bars be closed. Mr Wong, a taxi driver, did not respond.

But his wife, Madam Tan Siew Lian, 42, told police that she had instructed Ms Rallos, 27, to place Eric in the baby chair or the pram if she had housework.

On June 1, the maid said she left the couple's only child in the playroom at about 3.30pm to wash a milk bottle in the kitchen.

A few minutes later, she became worried as the child was \"too quiet\". She called out his name. When she could not find him in the playroom, she went to the balcony, where she saw the child lying on the ground below.

She rushed down, shouting for help, then carried the bleeding child upstairs so as to lock up the house. An ambulance took Eric to the National University Hospital, where he died at 6.45pm of head injuries.

Ms Rallos, who had been working for the family for 1½ years prior to the incident, has been with the Philippine Embassy after the incident. She will be going home soon.
Eric's parents were not at the coroner's court on Wednesday, and Mr Wong declined comment when approached on Wednesday night.

But the tragedy was still fresh on the minds of some Hillview Green residents when The Straits Times visited them on Wednesday evening.

Stock broker Lincoln Lim, 45, remembered rushing home that day when a neighbour told him of the tragedy. The father of two, including a seven-year-old, wanted to make sure the plastic sheets covering the grilles in his home were secure.

\"This was an accident that no one wanted to happen. And it's always better to be overly cautious,\" he said.

Another resident, who wanted to be known only as Satish, said Mr Wong and his wife, who used to frequent the estate's park, have hardly been seen this past year.

He added: \"It's unimaginable to have your child go before you. I hope they can recover.\" ...

http://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20130321-410212/2.html

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/topic/53342/toddler-fell-to-death-2-months-after-maid-saved-his-lifeRSS for NodeSat, 16 May 2026 16:07:10 GMTSun, 24 Mar 2013 12:23:33 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to Toddler fell to death 2 months after maid saved his life on Tue, 02 Apr 2013 04:16:44 GMT]]>Lukemommy, thank god nothing happen to him. So scary! We all keep thinking about window grill, forget about door also.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/978888https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/978888Tue, 02 Apr 2013 04:16:44 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Toddler fell to death 2 months after maid saved his life on Tue, 02 Apr 2013 03:48:51 GMT]]>Just to share… not only window grilles / balcony need to have smaller gap, door grilles also need to have smaller gap… bought my toddler son to my good friend’s house and while we were chatting (with door open but locked the door grille), suddenly couldn’t find my boy who was playing around us… started looking for him around the house and heard his voice outside the house !! gosh ! he could squeeze through the door grille (which has those flowery wavy design) my boy is skinny but still …luckily my friend’s house is those door to door old HDB apt and he didnt walk down the stairs…phew !

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/978868https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/978868Tue, 02 Apr 2013 03:48:51 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Toddler fell to death 2 months after maid saved his life on Tue, 02 Apr 2013 03:16:43 GMT]]>I think the condo developers definitely have some explanation to do ...


http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/forum-letters/story/toddlers-death-did-condo-flout-building-rules-20130402

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/978852https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/978852Tue, 02 Apr 2013 03:16:43 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Toddler fell to death 2 months after maid saved his life on Wed, 27 Mar 2013 04:08:05 GMT]]>A taxi driver told me this.

There could be more accidents bcos some drivers are not driving everyday and so lacking experience...perhaps only driving on weekends or using somebody's car for a short period.

My brother met with an accident last week...the driver was drunk. Driver sped off...But brother managed to get car number plate, which he gave to the policeman. The policeman asked my brother why didn't he stop him :siao: :siao: he had mild pain in the back.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975994https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975994Wed, 27 Mar 2013 04:08:05 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Toddler fell to death 2 months after maid saved his life on Wed, 27 Mar 2013 03:59:41 GMT]]>As a parent, we have to more careful and keep reminding kids to be more careful where-ever they go…


I know they feel like we are nagging often…but still safety is something no one can ignore…

every single action even though it may be a carelessness for a second/minute…can cost your life or worse still someone else’s life…

once something happens, we cannot rewind time like in movies…thats what I tell my kids…

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975990https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975990Wed, 27 Mar 2013 03:59:41 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Toddler fell to death 2 months after maid saved his life on Wed, 27 Mar 2013 00:50:45 GMT]]>

phtthp:
Thanks for valuable sharing, mother777. Parents with toddler kid when go friend's house staying in high rise flats, be alert to window grille absence.

Even though son is no longer a toddler, I still worry when he goes to friend's place to get project done...you know boys. When they play, even father's name also can forget. Fortunately, his friend's mum closed the window with air con switched on as there are no grilles.
With kids, it is not possible to have a flat that looks like a dream house.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975853https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975853Wed, 27 Mar 2013 00:50:45 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Toddler fell to death 2 months after maid saved his life on Wed, 27 Mar 2013 00:25:15 GMT]]>

Nebbermind:
tankee:

[quote=\"Nebbermind\"] Guess some people just did not realise how heavy wet clothes can be!



More so on a strong windy day

Yeah...years ago, one of my bamboo broke due to the force of the wind on a wet blanket and the apt below suddenly had an additional curtain.[/quote] :yikes:

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975838https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975838Wed, 27 Mar 2013 00:25:15 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Toddler fell to death 2 months after maid saved his life on Wed, 27 Mar 2013 00:19:13 GMT]]>Thanks for valuable sharing, mother777. Parents with toddler kid when go friend’s house staying in high rise flats, be alert to window grille absence.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975833https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975833Wed, 27 Mar 2013 00:19:13 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Toddler fell to death 2 months after maid saved his life on Wed, 27 Mar 2013 00:08:22 GMT]]>

Jennifer:
I notice some HDB flats have an improved version. There is a metal structure so that the bamboo pole rests at both ends.

Yes, including those which went thru the MUP. I thought it's a great design, especially since it's hanging over the aircon ledge, the clothes can be dried even overnight if enough neighbours turn on their aircon.

The con tho is the limited space, meaning the length of the bamboo is short 🤷

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975824https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975824Wed, 27 Mar 2013 00:08:22 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Toddler fell to death 2 months after maid saved his life on Wed, 27 Mar 2013 00:04:56 GMT]]>

tankee:
Nebbermind:

Guess some people just did not realise how heavy wet clothes can be!



More so on a strong windy day

Yeah...years ago, one of my bamboo broke due to the force of the wind on a wet blanket and the apt below suddenly had an additional curtain.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975820https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975820Wed, 27 Mar 2013 00:04:56 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Toddler fell to death 2 months after maid saved his life on Tue, 26 Mar 2013 23:20:16 GMT]]>

janet_lee88:
scared the maid will leave the grille unlocked, so I refused to let her have the key.

Our previous place has fixed window and balcony grilles (no opening, no keys to worry about).

To keep an eye on my then toddler younger boy, we removed the concrete wall separating the kitchen and living/dining hall with glass panel so that we could see the children at all times.

When we put up our place for sale, the couple who has a girl toddler immediately took a liking to our place and made an offer on the day of 1st viewing.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975808https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975808Tue, 26 Mar 2013 23:20:16 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Toddler fell to death 2 months after maid saved his life on Tue, 26 Mar 2013 15:53:29 GMT]]>

pirate:
janet_lee88:

Besides, I am very scared the maid will leave the grille unlocked, so I refused to let her have the key.


That would be wise.

Clean the windows with grilles on.
Before cooking, put clothes in the hall so that smell doesn't get onto the clothes.
I am so scared of these maids...no way would I allow any grille to be unlocked when I have 2 mischievous and hyperactive kids at home. If they play hide and seek with me, I will have heart attack should grilles be unlocked.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975767https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975767Tue, 26 Mar 2013 15:53:29 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Toddler fell to death 2 months after maid saved his life on Tue, 26 Mar 2013 15:50:56 GMT]]>

tankee:
pirate:

[quote=\"janet_lee88\"]Besides, I am very scared the maid will leave the grille unlocked, so I refused to let her have the key.


That would be wise.

meaning you will stand by the windows after you unlock it? :?[/quote]Actually I also follow same rule as Janet.
I will keep the grill key and open it during weekends when maid needs to clean windows. Will monitor her closely..

Sometimes in a rush maid's will forget our warning about not climbing on stools or leaning too much outside..

Well that's me over cautious..

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975765https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975765Tue, 26 Mar 2013 15:50:56 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Toddler fell to death 2 months after maid saved his life on Tue, 26 Mar 2013 15:46:11 GMT]]>

pirate:
janet_lee88:

Besides, I am very scared the maid will leave the grille unlocked, so I refused to let her have the key.


That would be wise.

meaning you will stand by the windows after you unlock it? :?

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975762https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975762Tue, 26 Mar 2013 15:46:11 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Toddler fell to death 2 months after maid saved his life on Tue, 26 Mar 2013 15:44:28 GMT]]>Once I went to visit one of friend in neighboring block. She used to stay in 16th floor.

That time my daughter was about 2yrs plus…

It was the first time I visited her and I didn’t notice much. I followed my friend to kitchen to chit chat while she made tea. I left my daughter in the living room to playwith my friends daughter as both were of same age.

Suddenly my friend said in shocked voice " where is your daughter?"
I was like " why what happened? I left her to play with your daughter in the living room…"

She said " oh I cannot spot your daughter, my house don’t have window grills…"
For a few seconds my mind just blanked out and my heart just literally stopped beating…

I started shouting my daughters name and rushed to the living room with tears in my eyes…

Luckily my daughter who was hiding behind the sofa came jumping out. She was playing hide and seek. Best thing was that the sofa was very near to the balcony window which did not have grills.

I ran and hugged my daughter… After that I immediately thanked god for keeping my daughter safe. Just left my friends house immediately. My friend kept on apologizing for giving me a fright and not warning me about the missing window grills.

A simple visit to friends house nearly turned into a horrible incident…

This is one event in my life which I will never ever forget…

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975758https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975758Tue, 26 Mar 2013 15:44:28 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Toddler fell to death 2 months after maid saved his life on Tue, 26 Mar 2013 14:32:30 GMT]]>

janet_lee88:
Besides, I am very scared the maid will leave the grille unlocked, so I refused to let her have the key.

That would be wise.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975647https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975647Tue, 26 Mar 2013 14:32:30 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Toddler fell to death 2 months after maid saved his life on Tue, 26 Mar 2013 13:30:55 GMT]]>When I bought my flat, there wasn’t any grilles as the couple who sold us the flat was childless. When son was about 3 months old, we had window grilles installed…kept the keys in locked drawer.


Fortunately morning sun comes into the kitchen, so there is no need to hang bamboo outside. Besides, I am very scared the maid will leave the grille unlocked, so I refused to let her have the key.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975611https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975611Tue, 26 Mar 2013 13:30:55 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Toddler fell to death 2 months after maid saved his life on Tue, 26 Mar 2013 13:18:22 GMT]]>Never walk under people’s house hanging bamboo stick laden with heavy weight, wet clothes. If strong wind blow or sometimes the seasoned bamboo stick used for too long & the bamboo stick become soft, it can just break and fall down, killing the unlucky pedestrian walking below. That is why in some high rise flats like "the duxton" @ cantonment (Tanjong pager)- above certain storeys, Hdb flat dwellers are not allowed to hang any bamboo stick laundry outside their window, ESP. Those staying above 20th floor to 50th floor (highest). Imagine if on a strong windy day, a bamboo stick from 50th floor laden with clothes were to drop down, the unfortunate pedestrian who happen to walk past right below will be injured seriously, or killed.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975595https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975595Tue, 26 Mar 2013 13:18:22 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Toddler fell to death 2 months after maid saved his life on Tue, 26 Mar 2013 13:13:02 GMT]]>I also have a story to share. My friend told me that her baby was crying and she was in toilet. The maid was hanging laundry out to dry, rushed to attend to the child without closing the window grilles. Her toddler climbed up a chair and looked out of the window. My friend happened to see it in time and stopped her toddler from falling down through the window. Imagine how dangerous it is even if you have grilles. Anyway, just install grilles in the house. Better be safe than sorry.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975589https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975589Tue, 26 Mar 2013 13:13:02 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Toddler fell to death 2 months after maid saved his life on Tue, 26 Mar 2013 12:49:18 GMT]]>

Nebbermind:
pirate:

[quote=\"Jennifer\"]I do not know about HDB laundry deathtraps, whatever these are?


Those little sockets where one is supposed to put the bamboo poles into - that cause a few people to fall to their deaths every year putting out the laundry.

Guess some people just did not realise how heavy wet clothes can be![/quote]I notice some HDB flats have an improved version. There is a metal structure so that the bamboo pole rests at both ends.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975582https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975582Tue, 26 Mar 2013 12:49:18 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Toddler fell to death 2 months after maid saved his life on Tue, 26 Mar 2013 12:47:16 GMT]]>

pirate:
Jennifer:

I do not know about HDB laundry deathtraps, whatever these are?


Those little sockets where one is supposed to put the bamboo poles into - that cause a few people to fall to their deaths every year putting out the laundry.

oic, so those are called laundry deathtraps.

I was very afraid of hanging clothes on the bamboo and put out in these when I was living in HDB flat.

Our place is super windy. Imagine a small petite girl (that's me donkey years ago lah 😂 ) doing laundry hanging.

Luckily ours is a corner unit with a long corridor so we hang our laundry in the corridor.

Up to now, I will have nightmares about windows falling off on windy days.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975580https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975580Tue, 26 Mar 2013 12:47:16 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Toddler fell to death 2 months after maid saved his life on Tue, 26 Mar 2013 11:45:48 GMT]]>Ha ha ha…

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975549https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975549Tue, 26 Mar 2013 11:45:48 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Toddler fell to death 2 months after maid saved his life on Tue, 26 Mar 2013 11:38:21 GMT]]>

tankee:
Nebbermind:

[quote=\"pirate\"]
Those little sockets where one is supposed to put the bamboo poles into - that cause a few people to fall to their deaths every year putting out the laundry.

Guess some people just did not realise how heavy wet clothes can be!


More so on a strong windy day[/quote]Time for lesson on - 'knowing when to let go'?

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975543https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975543Tue, 26 Mar 2013 11:38:21 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Toddler fell to death 2 months after maid saved his life on Tue, 26 Mar 2013 11:37:16 GMT]]>I have forbidden my maid to open the window grill to hang clothes outside.


we just hang the clothes inside the house. I have a young and mischievous son at home. very worried to even think what will happen if the maid forgets to close and lock the window grill…

dont assume everyone will take safety as seriously as you…once something happens…you cannot rewind time…

better to be extra safe than sorry…

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975542https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/975542Tue, 26 Mar 2013 11:37:16 GMT