A LIVE-IN nanny in a Nanshan District household, who was caught slapping the family’s baby on the face before trying to snatch the infant, is suffering from mental illness, according to Kangning Hospital showed.

The nanny, identified as Luo, was taken by her employer, surnamed Liang, to the hospital after the accident, Chinese-language media reported yesterday.

Liang hired Luo through a domestic service agency, Youfu Mama, on June 24, and five days later Luo had a psychotic episode.

Liang was in his bedroom when he heard screams for help in the early morning of June 29. “I ran out to the living room and saw our nanny attempt to snatch my child,” Liang said, adding that he immediately subdued and took her to a bedroom.

Liang became more concerned after seeing Luo smiling eccentrically during their conversation in the room.

However, Youfu Mama denied any knowledge of Luo’s mental condition, saying that her pre-employment physical examination showed she was in good shape.

The domestic service agency accused Luo and her family of intentionally hiding her mental health history. A person in charge of Yofu Mama said that Luo claimed to have no pre-existing conditions when they signed the labor contract.

After the incident in Liang’s home, Luo’s family admitted that she had been suffering from postnatal depression.

According to experts at the Shenzhen household service association, law prohibits the employment of mental patients in household services. The current health examination system for nannies, however, does not include examinations for mental conditions.

(Chen Manqi)