Hong Kong domestic helper in custody over suspected strangling of toddler
Investigations continued on Tuesday into the death of the two-year-old boy at a Central Park Tower apartment
A domestic helper remained in police custody on Tuesday evening after being arrested on suspicion of strangling a two-year-old Indian boy in her care in Tin Shui Wai, a police source has said.
Officers were working on a theory that the woman, 22, may have developed mental health problems after becoming homesick, according to the source.
The Indian helper came to Hong Kong about seven months ago to work for the boy’s parents, aged 33 and 39, who lived in a Central Park Tower apartment on Tin Yan Road in Tin Shui Wai, police said.
The suspected murder took place in the flat sometime between 8am and 10.30am on Monday morning when the helper was left to take care of the toddler after the couple left for work at about 8am. The apartment was fitted with two surveillance cameras.
“Initial investigations showed the surveillance camera system was disconnected and the helper left the apartment at around 10.30am,” a police source said.
The case came to light after the father, who was at the office of his trading company in Kowloon, found the cameras were not working at about 11am. Feeling suspicious, he then asked his neighbour to check the home, but no one answered the door.