The father of a six-year-old Indonesian girl killed in a Chinatown traffic accident earlier this month is “very shaken” as his wife remains hospitalized with serious injuries, according to an Indonesian embassy spokesperson. Sheyna Kanna, who died on February 6th, was struck by a car although walking with her mother, Raisha Anindra Pascasiswi, along Spring Street.
Ms. Pascasiswi, 31, regained consciousness earlier this month and is currently in stable condition at Singapore General Hospital (SGH), receiving intensive medical care in a high-dependency unit. She sustained internal injuries and fractures in the accident and is not yet fit to return to Indonesia for further treatment, the Indonesian Embassy stated.
The embassy is providing comprehensive support to the family, including legal assistance and financial aid. A lawyer has been assigned to the family pro bono, covering all legal fees related to the case. Embassy officials are also coordinating with SGH regarding Ms. Pascasiswi’s ongoing treatment and recovery, and are exploring options for covering medical expenses.
Singapore Police Force (SPF) arrested a 38-year-old woman on the day of the incident for driving without reasonable consideration causing death. The driver has since been released on bail, in accordance with Singapore law, while investigations continue. The embassy remains in close contact with SPF, requesting updates on the investigation’s progress.
“So You’ll see no legal fees,” said Thomas Ardian Siregar, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Indonesian Embassy, confirming the pro bono legal representation. When contacted by CNA on February 16th, SPF stated that investigations are ongoing and declined to provide further details.
Sheyna’s kindergarten in South Jakarta, Erlass Pejaten Kindergarten, held a prayer gathering for her after news of her death broke. Anna Nuryana Liza Adriani, the school principal, described Sheyna as a “bright” and “cheerful” student who was mature for her age. “Sheyna was always very enthusiastic about coming to school. She loved learning, was bright and cheerful, and enjoyed playing with her friends,” said Ms. Raden Tati Hamdiah, Sheyna’s K2 teacher. Mrs. Anna expressed hope that the legal process would deliver justice for Sheyna.
Indonesians in Singapore have rallied around Ashar Ardianto, Sheyna’s father, who is currently staying at the ambassador’s residence while his wife recovers. Fundraising efforts are underway to help cover Ms. Pascasiswi’s medical costs, with donations being channeled through a family representative, Ms. Cornelia. CNA’s attempts to reach Ms. Cornelia for details on the amount of donations collected were unsuccessful.
The Indonesian Embassy continues to provide support to Mr. Ardianto as he copes with the trauma of losing his daughter and his wife’s ongoing recovery, emphasizing the solidarity shown by the Indonesian community in Singapore.
