The prosecutor has ordered the return of the case involving a housekeeper who mixed disinfectant into a milk bottle given to a child, sending it back to the investigators. The prosecutor considers the act as attempted murder, with a penalty beyond the jurisdiction of the district court, and has instructed that a new case file be prepared to prosecute the matter in the criminal court.
On 21 May, Mr. Chairat Pawakanan, Deputy Spokesperson of the Office of the Attorney General, disclosed that a housekeeper named Ms. Usanee was accused of mixing a multi-purpose disinfectant into a milk bottle given to a child. Investigators at Bang Phong Phang Police Station submitted the case file to prosecutors at the Special Prosecutor's Office for District Court Cases 4 for consideration. The charges included causing bodily injury with intent causing physical or mental harm, adulterating food, medicine, or other consumables for others to consume or use, and the adulteration likely causing health hazards under Criminal Code Sections 296 and 236, punishable by up to three years in prison and a fine of up to 60,000 baht.
Mr. Chairat revealed that prosecutors later ordered additional investigation. Upon reviewing the further investigation results, prosecutors concluded that the accused had mixed diluted disinfectant from a spray bottle into the milk. If anyone, including a child, drank it, it could endanger their life. They determined that the act was premeditated and constituted attempted murder under Criminal Code Section 289 (4), 80, or alternatively under Section 289 (4), 81, with penalties exceeding the district court's authority.
"The prosecutors at the Special Prosecutor's Office for District Court Cases 4 cannot accept the case for consideration. Therefore, the case file and the accused are returned to the investigators to complete their opinion on whether to prosecute or dismiss the charge of premeditated attempted murder. If it is deemed to be such an offense, the accused must be fully informed of the facts, their rights, and the charges before the case file is forwarded to the appropriate prosecutor with jurisdiction," Mr. Chairat said.