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Clifford Lo

The 15-year-old daughter of a top insurance executive plunged to her death yesterday - sparking an investigation that revealed stunning details of the family's life.
The unnamed girl and her 14-year-old sister had never been to school and possessed no identity documents, it emerged as police arrested their British father and Filipino mother at their luxury Repulse Bay flat.
The girls, whose father is managing director of the Hong Kong branch of one of the world's largest insurance brokers, had instead attended a private tutorial centre.
The younger child was taken to a children's home.
A police source close to the case said the force was likely to seek a care and protection order in court today so the Social Welfare Department could have custody of her. It remains to be seen whether her father, Nick Cousins, 58, will challenge that move.

The case also cast the spotlight on the girl's mother Grace, 53, who may have stayed in the city without permission for about 20 years.
"It is likely the family did not help the girls apply for birth certificates or Hong Kong identity cards to avoid the mother's illegal stay being revealed," another police source said.
Officers arrested the mother for overstaying and Cousins for helping her to overstay. The couple were also arrested on suspicion of ill-treating their two daughters. The woman was still being held for questioning last night, while Cousins was granted police bail and must report back to police later this month. Neither had been charged yet.
Jardine Lloyd Thompson (JLT) confirmed Cousins was managing director of its Hong Kong office.
"We are giving Nick our full support through this difficult time and he will be on extended compassionate leave until further notice," a spokeswoman said, adding that the company would make no further comment on the "private matters".
JLT Asia executive chairman Anthony Langridge would oversee the business in Hong Kong until further notice, she said.
The 15-year-old girl leapt from their 19th-floor flat at 3 Repulse Bay at about 1.45am yesterday as her parents tried to unlock the toilet of the master bedroom that she had locked herself into. A security guard called police.
The girl appeared to have been unhappy, though no suicide note was found at the scene, a police spokeswoman said. "There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death," she said.
Detectives from Western police district are investigating.
Apart from police involvement, the Education Bureau and Social Welfare Department are looking into the case.
Under the Education Ordinance, parents who fail to send their children to primary or secondary school without a good reason face a fine of HK$1,000 and three months in prison.
And according to the Births and Deaths Registration Ordinance, parents face a HK$2,000 fine and six months in jail if they fail to register the birth of child.
Despite their apparent isolation, however, the sisters seemed to have lots of friends in the well-heeled expatriate community.
The younger girl posted pictures on Facebook recently saying her father had a company box at the Hong Kong Sevens rugby tournament - held at the end of last month - and that she had been able to invite friends along.
It was understood that the family of four had gone out together before - the lack of birth certificates, identity cards or travel documents for the girls notwithstanding.

They were thought to have been born at a private hospital in 1999 and 2000, a few years after their parents started living together in 1994. Before that, the woman had been working in Hong Kong as a domestic helper since around 1990.
Dr Ting Sik-chuen, former Society of Psychiatrists chairman, expected the welfare of the surviving girl to be the priority of the Social Welfare Department.
Ting said the parents would be suffering intense guilt following their older child's death, and might also be stressed out by the possible legal liabilities.
He suggested that people close to the family provide psychological support to the pair to ease any emotional problems and suicidal tendencies. The case should also be a lesson to the public, which had a duty to speak out if they noticed any child was unschooled, he said.
Land Registry records showed the flat's owner was Gracefield Enterprises, which bought the place for HK$55.32 million in 2011. The firm's directors were Andrew Chan Kwan-to and Chan Tat-nin, according to the Companies Registry.
Additional reporting by Danny Mok


Daughter of British insurance executive who fell to her death in Hong Kong had never attended school

The residential estate at 3 Repulse Bay. Photo: Sam Tsang

Nick Cousins, managing director of insurance broker JLT.

Briton Nick Cousins (left) and his partner Grace. Photo: SCMP Pictures

The 15-year-old girl leapt from their 19th-floor flat at 3 Repulse Bay at about 1.45am yesterday. Photo: SCMP Pictures

Hong Kong government ‘providing assistance’ to family of death plunge girl, 15

Nick Cousins, managing director of the Hong Kong branch of Jardine Lloyd Thompson. Photo: SCMP Pictures

Anthony Langridge is overseeing Cousins’ duties during his absence. Photo: Felix Wong

JLT's offices on Wednesday. Photo: Felix Wong

The girl fell to her death from this luxury apartment block in Repulse Bay. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

Girl, 15, dies in fall from Repulse Bay tower; parents arrested for ‘ill-treatment’

A 15-year-old girl died after falling from a block of flats in Repulse Bay. Photo: Sam Tsang

No suicide note was found at the scene, police said. Photo: Sam Tsang

Nick Cousins, Managing Director of Jardine Lloyd Thompson Limited, Hong Kong. Photo: SCMP Pictures

News

Hong Kong

Education

The girl and her 14-year-old sister had never been to school and possessed no identity documents


The 15-year-old daughter of a top insurance executive plunged to her death yesterday - sparking an investigation that revealed stunning details of the family's life.


Daughter of British insurance executive who fell to her death in Hong Kong had never attended school

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The girl and her 14-year-old sister had never been to school and possessed no identity documents

The girl and her 14-year-old sister had never been to school and possessed no identity documents