Singaporean Parents Plead Guilty to Charges Over Death of Eight-Month-Old Son

Two parents have pleaded guilty to charges linked to the death of their eight-month-old son, Trevor Neo, in 2024. Chloe Gan Ci Xuan, 23, and Neo Jia Ming, 27, admitted on Oct. 12 to causing or allowing the baby’s death, ill-treating him and permitting his ill-treatment.

The court heard the couple regularly abused Trevor to stop him crying and make him sleep, including smothering, shaking, slapping and squeezing him hard. In January 2024, when he was about a month old, Gan shook him so badly that he lost consciousness and spent about a week in hospital.

Singaporean Couple Admit Ill-Treating Baby Trevor Neo Before His 2024 Death

On Sept. 1, 2024, frustrated that Trevor’s crying kept her awake, Gan pressed a blanket over his face for nearly a minute, repeating the act several times and later pressing down harder with both hands. 

After she went to sleep, Neo checked on the baby and found him unresponsive. Trevor was pronounced dead shortly after midnight.

Neo also pleaded guilty to further charges of abusing Gan between February and August 2024, including one occasion when he punched her more than 10 times.

Online, many netizens mourned the baby and urged parents who cannot cope to seek help or give up a child for adoption rather than cause harm.