Singapore woman caught fleeing after scalding water attack

A woman in Singapore was arrested after an allegedly planned attack where she poured scalding hot water on a man and then tried to flee the country by ferry. The 28 year old woman was picked up by authorities on Thursday on a ferry bound for Indonesia, just before it hit international waters.

The incident occurred near Balam Road in Singapore on Thursday morning. The police were alerted at about 7.30am. The scalding attack left the 24 year old man with second-degree burns.

According to preliminary investigations, the suspect poured hot water on the victim before fleeing the scene. The victim remained conscious, but sustained second-degree burns on his neck and shoulders and was taken to the hospital for treatment. The police found a thermos flask nearby, which they believe was used in the assault.

Police report that the woman knew her victim and was trying to attack him secretly. She wore a face mask during the attack to hide her identity and changed her outfit after as she fled. Both the flask and the change of clothes used in the assault were taken by investigators as evidence.

While police investigators feverishly worked to identify the assailant and her whereabouts, the woman fled Singapore on a ferry heading for Indonesia. However, the ferry was intercepted by the Police Coast Guard just in time, before it had sailed out of Singapore’s territorial waters.

The woman was arrested at about 11.30am, just four hours after committing the attack. Commander of Bedok Police Division, Assistant Commissioner Justin Wong, praised the police’s efforts and swift action

“This arrest demonstrates the police’s ability to apprehend those who try to escape via our maritime borders. The excellent coordination between the various units, including the Police Coast Guard, allowed us to swiftly identify and detain the suspect before she left Singapore waters.”

The police have not revealed the motive behind the assault or the relationship between the suspect and the victim. The woman will be charged on Saturday with voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous means, which can be punished by a fine but can also carry a maximum of seven years in jail.

There is also the possibility that the crime would warrant enhanced punishment, a part of Singapore law that increases penalties for crimes if they are religiously motivated or committed against vulnerable people like children, domestic workers, lovers, or similar.