Apex court returns girl, Il, to dad’s care, bars mum from contacting child

Ban of at least 4 weeks given to mum, who made unfounded claims of abuse and neglect

- Selina Lum

A father has regained care and control of his 11-year-old daughter after Singapore's highest court overturned the decision of a judge who sent the only child to live with her mother following a short interview with the girl.

The Court of Appeal also barred the mother from contacting the girl for at least four weeks after the child is handed over to the father.

This is to allow the man to set up a stable structure without interference by his former wife.

Both parents and the child, identified as C, were also directed to go for mandatory counselling.

In written grounds of decision issued on Feb 7, the three-judge apex court said it had considered two sets of child welfare reports which showed that the mother was "wilfully carrying out a campaign" to turn the girl against her father.

The mother had filed several police reports against the father with unfounded allegations of abuse and neglect, peddled a constant negative narrative of him, and encouraged the girl to make disrespectful remarks about the father.

"In our view, it is in the best interests of C for her to be given an opportunity to heal and rebuild her relationship with the father without any interference from the mother," said the court.