The police investigation officer (IO) who handled the first report relating to the fatal abuse case of four-year-old Megan Khung has resigned, while her supervisor was given a financial penalty.
The Singapore Police Force (SPF) said this on Oct 23 in response to The Straits Times’ queries.
A review panel had released a report on the same day, detailing the lapses by various agencies, including the Ministry of Social and Family Development’s Child Protective Service, and the police, in the case.
Megan had suffered a year of abuse from February 2019 at the hands of her mother Foo Li Ping, and the woman’s boyfriend Wong Shi Xiang. The girl died in February 2020. Her body was burned and never found.
A police spokeswoman said the two officers – the IO and the officer-in-charge (OC) at the time – were investigated for neglect of duty.
The spokeswoman did not say what the financial penalty was, but that the supervisor is still with the SPF.
Foo was sentenced to 19 years’ jail on April 3. Wong was sentenced to 30 years’ jail and 17 strokes of the cane. The couple’s friend was also arrested, and her case is pending.
One of the review panel’s five key findings said the two police officers handling the first report on Megan had failed to follow processes.
When Megan’s grandmother made the report on Jan 17, 2020, the IO assessed it was a case of child discipline with low safety concerns.
Police told ST the report stated that the grandmother had not been in contact with Foo and Megan for some time, and that Foo had blocked the older woman’s mobile number.
Explaining the IO’s assessment, the spokeswoman said: “There was no indication of child abuse in the report.”
First, when Megan’s injuries were discovered on March 19, 2019, her pre-school and Beyond Social Services (BSS), the agency which runs the pre-school, saw it as a case of excessive discipline by Foo.
BSS developed a temporary care plan for Megan to live with her grandmother, but this was breached when the girl stayed with Foo on Sept 10, 2019. ST understands this breach was not stated in the police report.
Second, there were no other reports of suspected abuse regarding Megan between March 19, 2019 and the day of the police report.
Third, Foo had video-called the grandmother and the older woman had seen Megan, who looked well at the time. ST understands that the last video call the grandmother had with Megan was in September 2019.
Police said the IO screened various people involved in the case.
The IO had also tried to call Foo and had sent her text messages, but Foo did not respond. Foo’s and Megan’s whereabouts were unknown.
The review panel’s report said that after the IO told her OC that she would try to find Foo, the OC did not raise Megan’s report in case review sessions.
The IO stopped pursuing the matter after trying unsuccessfully to locate Foo and Megan for about two weeks, and was later deployed for Covid-19 pandemic duties.
Police found that the IO should have highlighted the case to her supervisor when she was unable to contact Foo, to allow the OC to guide her on the investigation approach.
Megan died on Feb 22, 2020, after Wong fatally punched her in the stomach.
On July 20, 2020, Megan’s biological father Khung Wei Nan and her grandmother made separate police reports on the girl’s disappearance.
Police said red flags were clearer during these second and third reports, such as concern over Foo’s and Megan’s safety.
Foo was also warded at the time, and there was concern as to who was taking care of Megan. Police did not mention the reason and duration of Foo’s hospital stay.
The second and third police reports were flagged by another IO to another OC, and the case was escalated according to procedure.
It was classified as a missing persons case and IOs immediately acted on the reports.
Three days later, on July 23, 2020, Foo and Wong were arrested for Megan’s murder. Police did not say how they tracked down the couple.
The couple’s friend, Nouvelle Chua, who stayed over at their home frequently and witnessed the abuse, was arrested the next day for child abuse and drug consumption.
