An eight-month-old baby, Trevor Neo, died in September 2024 following prolonged physical abuse by his parents, who have since been sentenced to lengthy prison terms. On October 21, the High Court handed down a 16-year jail term to the father, Neo Jia Ming, 27, while the mother, Chloe Gan Ci Xuan, 23, received 15 years and three months in prison. The couple had pleaded guilty on October 12 to charges related to the abuse and death of their son.

Court proceedings revealed that Trevor was frequently shaken, smothered, and hit by his parents in attempts to stop his crying. The fatal incident occurred on the night of September 1, when Gan smothered Trevor, struck him in the face, and pressed him face down on the mattress. Neo was present in the room, occupied with a mobile game, and did not intervene. Both parents faced charges for ill-treatment and, in Gan’s case, causing death, while Neo also faced additional charges for permitting the abuse and domestic violence against Gan.

Justice Hoo Sheau Peng, in delivering the sentence, emphasized that despite their youth and inexperience, the couple must be held fully accountable for their actions. The judge rejected the defense argument that the parents were overwhelmed by childcare, noting that the couple received support from family and employed a nanny. Text exchanges from January 2024 showed the couple, particularly Neo, making light of the abuse and its potential consequences, yet they continued the harmful behavior.

Neo was described by the judge as self-centered and unreceptive to the child’s needs, failing to assist Gan and even encouraging her to resume abuse after the baby cried. The court compared this case to a previous child abuse case in Singapore involving a four-year-old named Megan Khung, underscoring the severity of the offenses.

Outside the courtroom, family members of Neo expressed shock and disbelief at the revelations. Neo’s mother and elder sister described him as a hardworking man juggling multiple jobs to support the family, while Gan was seen as soft-spoken. They said the couple had sought parenting information after learning of the pregnancy and appeared devoted to each other. Neo’s sister recalled that the couple seemed tired but did not indicate any struggles during family gatherings. They also said they rarely saw the baby and never noticed injuries.

Neo’s sister noted that Trevor was affectionate and rarely cried, contrary to the accounts of abuse presented in court. Neo’s mother remembered giving Trevor a bath shortly before his death without observing any bruises. The family was unaware of the domestic violence Gan suffered, including multiple assaults by Neo reported between February and August 2024.

Friends who knew the couple described Neo as impulsive and somewhat rough in his behavior toward Gan. One friend said Neo was a "do-first, think-later" individual who expressed remorse and attempted to improve. Parenting appeared to increase the couple’s stress, and friends lost contact with them before hearing of Trevor’s death.

Gan’s parents were present in court but declined to comment following the sentencing. The case has brought renewed attention to child welfare and domestic violence issues within families.