Maid goes MIA on mum of 4 undergoing confinement

A woman hired a maid shortly before giving birth to her fourth child only for the Indonesian national to run away about a month-and-a-half later.

Ms Alyannie was left to look after her four children alone during her confinement period after giving birth on May 14.

The 38-year-old designer told Shin Min Daily News that she paid "thousands of dollars" in advance salary which she now fears is lost.

She had hired a 27-year-old helper named Diyah through an Indonesian maid agency on April 17.

"I was about to give birth and I have three other children at home aged six, three and two," she said.

"I couldn't care for them by myself, so I contacted an Indonesian agent through a relative's referral."

She paid the agency $2,200, equivalent to four months of the maid's salary.

Initially, Ms Alyannie was dissatisfied with Ms Diyah's work but because she needed the manpower, she let it slide.

"She handled food without washing her hands, ignored my instructions and let the children play with her phone all the time," she complained.

"After a month, she requested to change employers but when I found another family for her, she changed her mind."

Ms Alyannie said Ms Diyah made excuses to go out on May 28, making her feel like something was amiss.

"She kept asking me if I needed to go downstairs to buy something that night," she said.

"We didn't pay much attention to her and went to bed."

When Ms Alyannie woke up at 7am the next morning, she found Ms Diyah missing.

After checking her closed-circuit television footage, she saw that Ms Diyah had left the home with her wallet at 5am.

"She didn't even lock the door and gate when she left," said Ms Alyannie.

Unable to find the maid, she made a police report at about 8am.

"At around 11am, I received a call from the Ministry of Manpower telling me Diyah had approached them and told them she did not want to work in my home.

"I had informed her in advance that our home is a one-bedroom flat and that she would need to sleep on a mattress in the living room.

"I also explained that we had three children and a fourth on the way."

Ms Alyannie thought hiring a maid would ease her burdens but she ended up having to take care of her children and perform housework during her confinement period.

She worked for less than two months, so I believe I should receive the refund for the remaining advance salary, which is equivalent to $1,375," she said.

"However, the agency said I have to get the money back from Diyah myself."

The police confirmed with Shin Min Daily News that a report was filed.