Lawmakers accuse Social Welfare Department of dereliction of duty

Social Welfare Department staff earlier paid a visit to the family prior to the boy's death.

This as some lawmakers believe some members of the department neglected their duties and urged the SWD to set up an independent committee to assess future door-to-door visits.

Judicial authorities revealed that the mother who starved her five-year-old son to death gave birth to another daughter while she was remanded in custody, with the baby given to another family for adoption.

Details from the court hearing also indicated the Social Welfare Department visited the family on numerous occasions, including one time three months before the boy's death during which SWD staff claimed the boy was energetic.

This as Lawmaker Grace Chan from the Social Welfare Functional Constituency urged authorities to set up an independent committee to assess such visits and pay closer attention to the condition of children.