DESPAIRING MOTHER ‘KILLS SELF AND SON’
Woman is believed to have burned charcoal to commit suicide with disabled 32-year-old at their home on Mother’s Day, source says
A woman and her mentally disabled son were found dead in a public housing flat yesterday, in a murder-suicide suspected to be related to her concerns she could not care for him due to her own illness, the Post has learned.
A source familiar with the case said the woman, 58, was believed to have burned charcoal to commit suicide with her 32-yearold son at their Kwai Chung home on Mother’s Day.
The woman was the primary carer for her son, who had a moderate intellectual disability, for more than two decades since she separated from her husband, the insider added.
The case came to light when the woman’s elder sister visited them at Kwai Yan House, Kwai Fong Estate, at around noon.
According to police, she called the emergency services after finding her sister and nephew unresponsive in the same bed with a tray of burnt charcoal discovered on the floor.
Police said the woman and her son were certified dead at the scene. Officers found a suicide note at the premises.
“An initial investigation showed the victim was likely to have committed suicide with her son on Sunday,” the insider said.
The Post learned that the woman worked with Citybus as a regulator in a bus terminal and lived with her son, who attended a sheltered workshop on weekdays.
“The woman recently felt unwell because of a heart problem,” the source said.
“The investigation suggested her concerns about being unable to continue caring for her son could have led to her decision to commit suicide.”
He said police were investigating whether the woman and her son took any medication, such as sleeping pills, before the incident.
The insider said there were no signs of fighting or a struggle at the premises.
A Citybus spokesman expressed sadness over the incident and extended condolences to relatives and friends of the woman, adding the company would offer assistance to them.
Police initially classified the case as suicide but later changed it to “suicide and murder”.
Another source said police were treating the case as a murder-suicide because of the man’s mental situation and that an autopsy would be carried out.
An investigation showed the victim was likely to have committed suicide with her son SOURCE CLOSE TO THE CASE
Detectives from the Kwai Tsing district crime squad are investigating the case.
The city recorded 28 reports of murder last year, a drop of two cases when compared with 30 cases logged in 2022.
Official figures showed nine of the 28 cases involved domestic or family violence.
Police handled 1,235 reports of domestic violence crimes last year, a 9.5 per cent rise from 1,128 cases logged in 2022.
If you have suicidal thoughts, or you know someone who is, help is available. For Hong Kong, dial +852 18111 for the government-run “Mental Health Support Hotline” or +852 2896 0000 for The Samaritans and +852 2382 0000 for Suicide Prevention Services.