s 304B Causing death of child below 14 years of age, domestic worker or vulnerable person by sustained abuse
304B.—(1) A relevant person who causes the death of any child, domestic worker or vulnerable person by sustained abuse shall be punished with —(a) imprisonment for life and shall also be liable to caning; or (b) imprisonment for a term which may extend to 30 years, and shall also be liable to fine or to caning.[Act 21 of 2025 wef 17/08/2026] (2) In this section —“child” means a person below 14 years of age; “domestic worker”, “employer”, “employment agent” and “member of the employer’s household” have the meanings given by section 73(4); “neglect” means the failure by a relevant person to provide any or adequate essential care (such as but not limited to food, clothing, medical aid, lodging and other necessities of life) to the extent of causing personal injury or physical pain to, or injury to the physical health of any child, domestic worker or vulnerable person; “relevant person” means —(a) in the case of a child, a person who has custody, charge or care of the child; (b) in the case of a domestic worker, the employer of the domestic worker, a member of the employer’s household or the employment agent of the domestic worker; and (c) in the case of a vulnerable person, a person who has custody, charge or care of the vulnerable person; “sustained abuse” means a course of conduct which consists of voluntarily causing hurt or knowingly causing neglect, or both, of a child, domestic worker or vulnerable person on —(a) 2 or more occasions; or (b) a single occasion if the conduct is protracted; “vulnerable person” has the meaning given by section 74A(5).[15/2019] —(1) A relevant person who causes the death of any child, domestic worker or vulnerable person by sustained abuse shall be punished with —(a) imprisonment for life and shall also be liable to caning; or (b) imprisonment for a term which may extend to 30 years, and shall also be liable to fine or to caning.[Act 21 of 2025 wef 17/08/2026] (2) In this section —“child” means a person below 14 years of age; “domestic worker”, “employer”, “employment agent” and “member of the employer’s household” have the meanings given by section 73(4); “neglect” means the failure by a relevant person to provide any or adequate essential care (such as but not limited to food, clothing, medical aid, lodging and other necessities of life) to the extent of causing personal injury or physical pain to, or injury to the physical health of any child, domestic worker or vulnerable person; “relevant person” means —(a) in the case of a child, a person who has custody, charge or care of the child; (b) in the case of a domestic worker, the employer of the domestic worker, a member of the employer’s household or the employment agent of the domestic worker; and (c) in the case of a vulnerable person, a person who has custody, charge or care of the vulnerable person; “sustained abuse” means a course of conduct which consists of voluntarily causing hurt or knowingly causing neglect, or both, of a child, domestic worker or vulnerable person on —(a) 2 or more occasions; or (b) a single occasion if the conduct is protracted; “vulnerable person” has the meaning given by section 74A(5).[15/2019]