Girl falls to her death while sneaking out of flat to celebrate 16th birthday

A 16-year-old schoolgirl forbidden by her family from going out to celebrate her birthday fell to her death yesterday after trying to escape through a window of their third-floor flat in To Kwa Wan.

Hung Hoi-wai, who turned 16 yesterday, used a nylon string for support while climbing down from the family's flat in Kowloon City Road at about 6am.

Police said one end of the string was tied to the window frame and the other to her waist. 'We believe the string snapped and she fell as she attempted to scale down the building,' a police officer said.

Police said there was nothing suspicious about the accident.

The girl suffered serious head injuries and was found lying motionless on the ground. A passer-by shouted for help and alerted the girl's 19-year-old sister, who called police.

Hung was taken unconscious to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, where doctors declared her dead at 6.16am.

Police said the girl, a Form Four pupil at New Asia Middle School in To Kwa Wan, had been working on Thursday night, but did not disclose her line of work.

After returning home at 12.30am she wanted to go out shortly after 2am but her family kept her in the flat, where she lived with her parents and sister.

After her death, Hung's relatives burned incense and paper offerings at a roadside ritual held outside the building at lunchtime.

New Asia Middle School principal Wong Wai-ting described Hung as a good student. 'She was a positive and enthusiastic girl. She had a good relationship with teachers and was well-liked by students.'

She said Hung was good at academic subjects and conduct and that teachers had praised her for her work in organising school activities.

'We are shocked and saddened by her death,' the principal said.

She said Hung had problems with her family, and a school social worker had been assigned to follow up her case. 'After counselling, their relationship had improved.'

Education psychologists and social workers offered counselling to pupils and teachers at the school yesterday.

The Social Welfare Department said social workers would visit the girl's family and offer appropriate assistance.