Hong Kong woman accused of murdering mother, brother was under 'mental stress'
Warning: disturbing content
A woman in Hong Kong was arrested for allegedly murdering her 85-year-old mother and brother.
The South China Morning Post reported that authorities received a call that a man had been found unconscious in an apartment in the Hang Moon Building on Cheung Sha Wan Road.
According to a source for the SCMP, a social welfare worker visited the home of a 48-year-old man, a care-home resident who had been missing from his care home for three weeks. She scheduled a home visit, but after receiving no response at the door, she reported the incident to the police.
Firefighters were then dispatched and forced their way into the unit, where they discovered the mother and her son, who had Down syndrome, both deceased.
Responders noted that the son had red marks on his neck and appeared to have been suffocated. The mother also had injuries on her neck and seemed to have succumbed after being stabbed with scissors.
The suspect, 52, was found sitting at the edge of the building's roof. She reportedly tried to jump, but was rescued and handcuffed.
“The suspect has a history of mental illness and had shared her suicidal thoughts recently. We believe she murdered the victims because of mental stress and then attempted suicide,” Cheng Ki-fung, assistant district commander for crime at the force’s Sham Shui Po district, said.
Authorities also found a pair of scissors in the canopy in the back alley, believing it was the murder weapon that the suspect had attempted to discard.
The motive behind the crime has yet to be determined, but the brother and sister reportedly have mental health issues.
Other relatives are under investigation, while three social workers are assisting with the case.
SCMP noted that Hong Kong has been grappling with a series of murder or murder-suicide cases involving carers and family members who required long-term care.
Government data from 2023 indicated that the elderly population was projected to grow from 1.45 million in 2021 to 2.74 million by 2046.
In 2021, about 330,164 people—or 16.6% of those aged 60 or older living in domestic households—required long-term care. Of this figure, half were cared for by their children or children-in-law, while 18.7% were looked after by their spouses.
Statistics from the Coroner’s Court showed that in 2022, 2023, and 2024, there were more than 470 suicides among residents aged 60 and above, accounting for over 40% of all cases. (with additional reporting by Nick Garcia)
If you or anyone you know is considering self-harm or suicide, you may call the National Mental Health Crisis hotline at 1553 (Luzon-wide, landline toll-free), 0966-351-4518 or 0917-899-USAP (8727) for Globe/TM users, or 0908-639-2672 for Smart users.
