Five-year-old victim no longer talkative, court told

A kindergarten teacher testifying at the trial of a Hong Kong couple accused of murdering their five-year-old daughter told the High Court that the girl had become much more reticent after moving to live with her stepmother, saying she was once “a very happy child”.

The five-year-old girl who was allegedly murdered by her parents was found with 133 injuries, including deep bruises on her scalp possibly caused by repeatedly throwing her towards the ceiling. She died of septicaemia in the hospital on January 6, 2018.

The teacher, who was the girl’s class teacher, said after the girl had moved to a new home with her father to live with her stepmother in 2017, she seemed to have started holding back from sharing her own thoughts and feelings.

She recalled that the girl used to actively participate in class activities, always share with her classmates what she had done during the holidays.

“After she moved, she seemed to start holding back from telling me about herself even when I ask her directly, she just remained tight-lipped,” said the teacher.

The teacher also said she noted the girl had requested more food during breakfast time at school after she moved, showing a big difference from her previous appetite.

The girl’s study reports were also presented to the jury during the testimony, which show the girl was capable of looking after herself and had developed good logical reasoning during her time at school.

The reports also show that the girl likes to interact with other children and was keen to share with others her feelings and thoughts.

Another teacher testified that she found multiple injuries on the girl's right arm, right leg and hands on September 5, 2017, and she took some pictures of the injuries.

The teacher then met the girl’s stepmother to talk about it, the stepmother admitted she and the father would beat the girl and promised they would not do that in the future.

But the teacher said she found injuries on the girl’s body again on September 13 and in late October. The last day when the girl went to the kindergarten was October 27 and she acted normally.

“I have never seen her again since that day,” she said while crying in court.

Prosecutors accused the girl’s 29-year-old father and 30-year-old stepmother had indirectly but significantly contributed to the child’s death because their prolonged abuse and neglect had considerably weakened her immune system and ability to fight the bacterial infection, saying her death was a murder.

The couple has denied the murder charge, but have admitted child cruelty towards the deceased and her biological brother during the same period. The children’s 56-year-old grandmother has denied all four counts of child cruelty with which she has been charged.

None of the defendants or their relatives can be identified due to a gag order from Mr Justice Albert Wong Sung-hau aimed at protecting the identity of the children.

The trial continues.