THEY were told that their daughter had been sent to the hospital after she fell and suffered some abrasions.
What they saw when they reached there horrified them. Their 10-year-old daughter, Gladys Tan, had raw pink flesh exposed on the left side of her body.
The Primary 4 student at Yangzheng Primary School suffered second-degree burns to her left arm, legand cheek.
Said Mrs Tan: "When I saw her, I felt like my heart broke to pieces."
The 39-year-old housewife said she could only watch as her little girl cried out in pain while her wounds were being cleaned.
She recounted: "Gladys would cry out, but I couldn't do anything. When she called out to me, she sounded confused and uncertain. I think she is still in shock."
All the Tans know is that Gladys was found lyingon a metal sheet on the pavement opposite her school by two schoolmates, who then ran to get help from a teacher.
She was wearing her PE uniform, so more of her skin was exposed to the sun-baked metal sheet.
Mr Tan, 47, a housing agent, said: "I received a call from the school at about 1.30pm and was told that she had suffered some abrasions.
"School ended at 1.10pm, and Gladys didn't come home immediately as she had a co-curricular activity at 3pm.
"It would be a rush for her to come home for lunch, then return to school." During one of Gladys' brief spells of consciousness,
Mr Tan asked her to recall what happened.
All she remembered was that she had crossed the road to buy lunch near Block 329, Serangoon Avenue 3. The next thing she knew she was in hospital.
Mr Tan did not probe further as he did not want to cause her stress.
The 39-year-old housewife said she could only watch as her little girl cried out in pain while her wounds were being cleaned.
She recounted: "Gladys would cry out, but I couldn't do anything. When she called out to me, she sounded confused and uncertain. I think she is still in shock."
All the Tans know is that Gladys was found lyingon a metal sheet on the pavement opposite her school by two schoolmates, who then ran to get help from a teacher.
She was wearing her PE uniform, so more of her skin was exposed to the sun-baked metal sheet.
Mr Tan, 47, a housing agent, said: "I received a call from the school at about 1.30pm and was told that she had suffered some abrasions.
"School ended at 1.10pm, and Gladys didn't come home immediately as she had a co-curricular activity at 3pm.
"It would be a rush for her to come home for lunch, then return to school." During one of Gladys' brief spells of consciousness,
Mr Tan asked her to recall what happened.
All she remembered was that she had crossed the road to buy lunch near Block 329, Serangoon Avenue 3. The next thing she knew she was in hospital.
Mr Tan did not probe further as he did not want to cause her stress.
source : asiaone