Man allegedly assaulted at coffeeshop, now suffering permanent brain damage, skull crack and internal brain bleeding

This is a reader-contributed post.

“Dear Readers,

My family and I hope to seek for eyewitnesses for the following incident if you are there or know of anyone that happens to be at 279 Seng Kang East Avenue Compassvale Ancilla, S540279 (coffee shop beside NTUC) on 24th Jan 2018 in the late morning to early afternoon.

The following incident took place:

1. 24 Jan 2018, Wednesday

My Grandmother received a call from the coffee shop Aunty that my Uncle was laying on the floor motionless momentarily.My Grandmother lives next block and came down immediately. By then, my Uncle was found sitting at a corner against a wall, not looking very well.

On the day of incident, it was the coffee’s shop first day of grand opening (of a New coffee shop owner). There were many of the coffee shop owner’s employees/partners there that day as we understood that the establishment owns a few of the shops below the block as well.

My Grandmother asked around to check what had happened but everyone shared that they don’t know anything.

It was then that the coffee shop owner who appeared very frustrated, step up to my Grandmother and demanded to send him to IMH because my Uncle has been annoying him everyday (before launch of coffee shops) and even on the launch date on getting a job at the coffee shop.

(Background information: My Uncle was also working a couple of months with the previous coffee shop owner at one of the stores and always hang around/everyone knows he is harmless and in fact very popular among the uncles/ even the doctor and Nurses at the clinic and some of the NTUC aunties beside the coffee shop too!)

The argument got heated up and therefore a coffee shop lady who knows my granny personally, just came for her afternoon shift told my granny to just bring my Uncle home to rest first as he look very unwell.

My Grandmother brought him home and he continues to be unwell. My Uncle started to vomit blood and blood also started to flow out from his nose. At 6pm, my Grandmother brought him down to the clinic when it opens – the doctor say that it was serious and need to be send to the hospital immediately.

At the hospital:

The hospital doctor said that it was a huge impact that hit his back of the head. He was admitted that night to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital on 24th Jan 2018.

We did not report to the police that time yet as we genuinely thought it was a faint causing him to fall backwards. Frankly we didn’t even think that someone could have do any hurt to a vulnerable person like him. For the past 3 years at the coffee shop he hangs out there Everyday and is popular among the uncles/aunties.

However things start to take a turn.

2. 26th Jan 2018, Friday 

On the 26th of Jan 2018 (Friday), we have received 3 phone calls from the Neighbours and even a shop nearby whom my grandmother knows personally; that they have heard people at the coffee shop talking about the incident – which reveals that my Uncle was assaulted by someone (whom I shall not name till everything is confirm).

Thankfully one of employee (shall not name to protect this person’s safety/identity) who is working with them also came up to us to said that unfortunately he/she only see the aftermath and could not be a witness BUT he/she knows a few people who were there and witness everything but nobody dares to say anything for obvious reasons /certain circumstances they are in due to suspect’s background and also their situation (for which I too shall not say too much till things are confirm).

But what was told to us was that he was assaulted, and fell backwards.

3. My uncle’s condition
To those witnesses who were there; please allow me to share that this is my Uncle’s condition now.

My Uncle who is mentally slow since the age of 9 ( with Low IQ but fully harmless) was admitted at Khoo Teck Phuat hospital at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). He has now suffered a permanent brain damage, with his skull crack, and internal brain bleeding. The doctor say that it was a huge impact on the back of his brain that causes this. Even when he is discharge in the future, his life would be permanently change – be it mobility, lifestyle and the ability to speak would be affected. In a case if his brain injury gets worse which is possible , a surgery would be required with a 50 percent chance of being able to survive (but still living differently from then on) or being a vegetable for the rest of his life.

Regardless, his way of lifestyle would change forever. He would require help with daily chores like eating, moving around, bathing and have to be on pampers.

My Grandmother is an 78 year old lady – who is not rich but people who knows her knows that despite that she gives more than she takes – doing volunteering work here and there for people who are even more in need than her. Seeing her upset, not being able to eat, sleep, feeling giddy and losing her balance while walking sometimes – breaks my heart. Frankly, I hate to admit this but I am feeling so weak, upset and down now; and I can’t imagine how much worse my Grandmother is feeling that her Son is at this state. The after-hospitalisation life is not going to be easy either.

No one deserves this. A Low IQ person life is still a life and he do not deserve this at all. No one has any rights to treat someone vulnerable like this.

Nothing/nobody that have cause this impact could undo this damage to him, and my family. But we hope to at least seek the truth as to what have happen and we hope that people who are there who seen anything could step up as it really means a lot to us.

If information passed on to us is true on who the suspect is, I know that it will be tough to get to the truth due to the circumstances and complexity of the issue.

To the eye witnesses, I know it’s hard on you but please remember that this is Singapore; your safety and identity will not be compromise.

All in all, I strongly believe that there is still humanity in this place and it will prevail.

I believe many people are unaware of the seriousness of the situation. This isn’t just an assault (if what we heard is true), this is a change of his life and my family life. More importantly, this is not right if whatever that we have source are true.

I know that my Uncle’s life will never be the same again. But the least we could do is to find out the truth and; if whatever that we heard is true, then justice should be served.

Your help will be greatly appreciated. The police are also working very hard but if more eye witnesses are willing to step up – it will definitely aid the situation.

I believe that with the strength of the community and people – together we will be able to find out the truth: whatever the truth is.

Please PM me for a chat and in advance, thank you so much – this means alot to my Uncle, me and my family.

PLEASE HELP TO SHARE AS WE HOPE THAT MORE EYE WITNESSES COULD SEE THIS AND STEP UP.

Regards
On behalf of Ah Peng’s family and friends”

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