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Children in Tuen Mun tragedy died two hours after visit by police and firemen

The children found dead with their semi-conscious mother in a Tuen Mun flat two days ago had died about two hours after neighbours saw smoke billowing from their home and called emergency crews, police said yesterday.

Autopsy results yesterday showed that the 12-year-old girl and her 13-year-old brother died from inhaling carbon monoxide, a policeman said.

'Initial examination showed that the two children were estimated to have died between 2am and 3am on Wednesday,' the officer said. This was about two hours after their neighbours saw smoke coming from the children's home in Tuen Mun at 12.16am and called emergency services.

But the children's mother, Lee Fung-yee, 38, sent away police and fire officers who answered that call, saying she was burning incense.

Firemen were allowed to enter the home, found ashes in the kitchen and believed it was the fire source.

'There were two bedrooms in the unit but the doors were closed. The female tenant claimed that her children were asleep inside and she did not want our officers disturbing her children from sleeping,' a fire spokesman said.

Firemen then left at 12.23am, as officers found nothing suspicions.

After the firemen left the flat, Lee closed the security gate and denied entry to two police officers.

Firemen told police she was burning incense and there were no suspicious circumstances. The officers noted her identity card information and contact number, and left, a senior police officer said.

About 13 hours later, Lee called police claiming that she had burned charcoal in her home and her children were showing no response. Her daughter Li Bo-ka, 12, and son Li Siu-hang, 13, were found dead when firemen broke into the flat at 1.12pm.

The woman claimed she had drugged the children by giving them orange juice mixed with sleeping pills, and she set alight charcoal after they fell asleep, police said.

Officers seized some sleeping tablets, but no orange juice was found.

Lee is a part-time private tutor and her married lover is a retired herbalist and businessman. The couple has three children and had argued about their relationship. The woman's eldest son, 15, had moved out of the flat and lived with his father in Mei Foo Sun Chuen just before the tragedy.

Last night, Lee remained in hospital and no charges had been laid.

Yesterday, teachers and schoolmates of the children said there had been no signs anything was wrong.

Li Siu-hang was a Form Three pupil at SKH St Simon's Lui Ming Choi Secondary School and Li Bo-ka was a Form One pupil at Stewards Ma Kam Ming Charitable Foundation Ma Ko Pan Memorial College.

Classmate Tam Ka-ho, 15, who knew Li for three years, said: 'He was quiet. He seldom shared his stuff. I have no idea if he had family issues.'

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