Childcare worker gets 20 years for fatal abuse of 13-month-old baby in Vietnam

The Quang Ngai People’s Court on Monday handed down the sentence to Nguyen Thi Quyen, a 41-year-old childcare worker from the province’s Cam Thanh Ward, on murder charges after determining she committed cruel acts that caused fatal brain injuries to the infant.

According to the indictment, the boy, L.A.K., was brought by his mother on the morning of July 16, 2025 to the private childcare facility Nhu Y, where Quyen provided childcare services without a license from local authorities.

After breakfast, the child began crying, and Quyen took him into a resting room.

As the child continued crying and she was unable to control her anger, Quyen picked him up and threw him onto a mattress on the floor before leaving the room.

When she returned and saw the child crawling toward the exit, she again picked him up and threw him onto the mattress, causing severe head trauma.

The child soon showed signs of vomiting, cyanosis, and seizures, prompting Quyen to call for help and take him to emergency care.

She told the child’s parents that he had fallen during feeding in an attempt to conceal her crime.

Suspicious of the explanation and concerned about the severity of the injuries, the family requested access to surveillance camera footage, which Quyen refused to provide.

The parents then reported the case to police.

Despite intensive medical treatment, the child died on August 5, 2025 due to severe traumatic brain injury.

In court, Quyen admitted the charges as stated in the indictment.

The case shocked the public in Vietnam, prompting grief over the child’s death and outrage over the caregiver’s brutality.

The court found that Quyen’s actions were particularly dangerous, directly causing the death of a defenseless toddler.

After considering aggravating and mitigating circumstances, it sentenced her to 20 years in prison as a general deterrent.

The case serves as a warning about violence, lack of emotional control, and abuse in the care of young children.

All acts of abuse against children that cause harm or death will be met with severe penalties under the law.

It has raised concerns about child abuse in informal and unlicensed childcare facilities.

Members of the public have called for stricter oversight and inspections of childcare centers.

Authorities have urged parents to carefully check the legal status and conditions of childcare facilities before entrusting them with their children.