Mentally ill woman 'beat maids to death'

Indah Setiawati ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Thu, 07/24/2008 10:40 AM  |  City

A pediatrician's wife with a history of mental illness allegedly beat her maid to death at her house in Kedoya Garden III No. 5, South Kedoya, West Jakarta, on Wednesday evening.

Police said Maria Ursula Tangguh, 50, had often physically abused her maid Lina, 17, and had been charged with killing two other maids.

"Lina was the third victim to die at her hands," West Jakarta chief detective Comr. Suyudi Aryo Seto told The Jakarta Post.

In 1997, Maria was charged with murder under Article 338 of the Criminal Code, for beating her maid Srini, 40, to death because she was disappointed with the latter's work.

The crime carries a maximum penalty of 15 years imprisonment, but Maria was sent to Jakarta Psychiatric Hospital in Grogol, West Jakarta, for one year for treatment in 1998.

In 1992, she killed another domestic worker, but was freed after being pronounced insane by doctors at the hospital.

Suyudi said police found indications of physical abuse on Lina's body, which was sent to Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital in Central Jakarta for an autopsy.

"Maria told police her two maids were quarreling. It's clearly nonsense," he said.

He said Maria also allegedly abused Anisa, 12, another maid who worked in her house, but she survived.

In her earlier testimony at Kebon Jeruk police station, Maria said Lina died after falling down the stairs.

Suyudi said police had questioned Anisa and Maria's husband about the abuse.

Adrianus Meilala, a criminologist at the University of Indonesia, said Maria suffered from "extreme hysteria", a severe form of mental illness.

He said people who suffered from extreme hysteria could not control their anger.

"In this case, Maria's angry outbursts are extraordinary and always endanger the maids," he said.

Adrianus said judges in the previous trials had forbidden the family from employing any domestic workers.

"Both husband and wife clearly flaunted the law by continuing to employ maids. The family should have sent her to a mental hospital where she obviously belongs, because she needs intensive treatment," he said.

Adrianus added this was an indication law enforcement measures in the country were still weak.

Domestic abuse suffered by Indonesian domestic workers abroad is often highly publicized, but is far more common within the country.

On January 16, the East Jakarta District Court sentenced Hendarsih Erni W. Sunarsih to 10 years in prison for domestic violence.

She was found guilty of abusing her two maids, Irma, 16, and Rumini, 20, and eventually killing Irma.

Erni was once jailed for four months for a similar offense in 2006, after assaulting two maids with an iron.

Copyright © 2008 The Jakarta Post - PT Bina Media Tenggara. All Rights Reserved.