TLDR version: A domestic helper who was the primary caregiver of two young boys had kicked and hurt them on numerous occasions.
The abuse was discovered by another domestic helper who recorded her actions on video and promptly reported them.
The child abuser was subsequently charged and found guilty under the Children and Young Persons Act and sentenced to 13 months’ jail.
More thoughts: The article does not mention the specific section of the Children and Young Persons Act under which the domestic helper was charged, but it is likely to be section 5, which addresses penalties for the ill-treatment of children and young people by their caregivers.
Any caregiver of any child or young person below the age of 18 can be punished under section 5 of the CYPA for physical or sexual abuse, endangerment, neglect, abandonment or emotional harm.
Like parents, domestic helpers who have the care of children often spend a substantial part of the day with them and are responsible for their wellbeing. The safeguards in the CYPA are designed to protect vulnerable children from abusive caregivers.
In this case, the abuse was quickly nipped in the bud by a sharp-eyed domestic helper who took it upon herself to look out for the kids even though they were in a different household. Similarly, it is the duty of every person to inform the authorities if even the slightest possibility of child abuse is suspected.
Read more about the protections and procedures relating to child abuse under the CYPA, as well as other real-life cases, in Lex & Rex (The Race for Truth).