Parents voice safety concerns after 4-year-old son ends up with stitches from fall in Serangoon restaurant playroom

A four-year-old boy ended up requiring two stitches on his chin after falling in the play area of a Serangoon eatery.

His father, surnamed Chen, told Lianhe Zaobao that the boy was playing at the kids' indoor playground of hotpot restaurant Beauty in The Pot in Nex on July 1.

"Shortly after my son went in, he accidentally fell and hit his chin on a sharp corner of the sofa in the waiting area," he said.

The faux leather material at that corner had worn off, exposing the edge of the wooden board underneath. The boy sustained a cut about 2cm long and was bleeding, Chen added.

A staff member of the eatery gave them a plaster to stop the bleeding, and the boy was taken to hospital, where he received two stitches.

But Chen and his wife are dissatisfied with how the company subsequently handled the issue, pointing out that they had only contacted him three days after the incident.

He claimed he was not given a clear explanation on matters, such as whether the play area's safety measures were in place.

"If my son had hit his eyes or major organs, or punctured his aorta, it would no longer be a trivial matter. I hope the company can provide a reasonable explanation," said the father.

Responding to Zaobao's queries, a spokesperson for Paradise Group said the management is aware of the incident and is providing support and assistance to Chen's family.

An employee of the hotpot chain accompanied them to Sengkang General Hospital and stayed with the family throughout the treatment process.

During their call to check on the boy's condition, the restaurant group had offered to bear the medical expenses of the boy, which the family had accepted.

With regards to the safety of the playroom, the spokesperson said an investigation has been launched, and playgrounds at all Beauty in The Pot outlets will be cleaned and inspected twice daily. 

"This was an unfortunate incident. We understand the pain that the parents of the injured child are experiencing, but we also note that the child was unsupervised while running and playing in the playroom."

The spokesperson added that the rules and regulations listed at the play area's entrance remind parents that it is designed for children aged five to 12, but the injured child is below the age range.

"The group will conduct an internal review to ensure that the playground environment continues to be safe."

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lim.kewei@asiaone.com