2007 04: Court told mother stabbed her child to discipline him

The Star online. News. Nation. Friday April 20, 2007

By CECIL FUNG

KUALA LUMPUR: A mother of eight stabbed her eight-year-old son with a knife in order to discipline him.

On Friday, a magistrate’s court here let off Katijah Kassim, 38, with a three-year good behaviour bond after convicting her for committing assault.

The housewife, whose youngest child is eight-months-old, was suffering from post-natal depression at the time of the offence.

Apart from the RM3,000 non-secured bond, magistrate Aizatul Akmal Maharani also ordered her to pay a prosecution fee of RM500 after she pleaded guilty to the charge.

The magistrate, however, warned her that he would review her case if she were to breach the bond.

“Look after your children well. If you breach the bond, I will not hesitate to recall your case and impose a heavier sentence later,” said the magistrate.

Katijah had, in a twist of fate, slipped and fell, breaking both her legs and fracturing her spine weeks after the incident.

She had to be carried into the dock by her storekeeper husband before she admitted to stabbing their son Muhammad Hafizat, whom she claimed was too naughty, at their flats in Kuchai Entrepreneurs Park around 10am on Dec 20 last year.

The court was told of how her eldest son Mohd Hamdan, who was sleeping in the living room at the time, had heard his younger brother’s screams from the bedroom.

Mohd Hamdan, 14, rushed into the room to find his mother stabbing Muhammad Hafizat on his back with a knife.

He immediately grabbed the knife from Katijah and threw it into the kitchen sink before carrying his wounded brother to his grandmother’s unit at another block for help.

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Second chance for mum who stabbed son
The Star online. News. Courts. Saturday April 21, 2007

KUALA LUMPUR: A mother of eight stabbed her eight-year-old son with a knife in order to discipline him.

Yesterday, a magistrate’s court here let off Katijah Kassim, 38, with a three-year good behaviour bond after convicting her for committing assault.

The housewife, whose youngest child is eight-months-old, was suffering from post-natal depression at the time of the offence.

Apart from the RM3,000 non-secured bond, magistrate Aizatul Akmal Maharani also ordered her to pay a prosecution fee of RM500 after she pleaded guilty to the charge.

The magistrate, however, warned her that he would review her case if she were to breach the bond.

“Look after your children well. If you breach the bond, I will not hesitate to recall your case and impose a heavier sentence later,” said the magistrate.

Katijah had, in a twist of fate, slipped and fell, breaking both her legs and fracturing her spine weeks after the incident.

She had to be carried into the dock by her storekeeper husband before she admitted to stabbing their son Muhammad Hafizat, whom she claimed was too naughty, at their flat in Kuchai Entrepreneurs Park around 10am on Dec 20 last year.

The court was told of how her eldest son Mohd Hamdan, who was sleeping in the living room at the time, had heard his younger brother’s screams from the bedroom.

Mohd Hamdan, 14, rushed into the room to find his mother stabbing Muhammad Hafizat on his back with a knife.

He immediately grabbed the knife from Katijah and threw it into the kitchen sink before carrying his wounded brother to his grandmother’s unit at another block.

Muhammad Hafizat had injuries on his chest and back as well as his lungs.