Singer admits neglecting his 13-year-old autistic son
Dominic Chow asked friends to care for boy, 13, during the day, but he was left in flat on his own every night for over a week, court told
Canto-pop singer Dominic Chow Kai-seng left his autistic and epileptic 13-year-old son home alone every night for more than a week while he travelled to the mainland, a court heard yesterday.
Chow pleaded guilty in Eastern Court to neglecting the boy when he went on the trip in June last year. He will be sentenced next month.
The court heard that Chow, 52, his wife and daughter went on a trip from May 24 to June 2. He had arranged for two friends to take care of the boy during the daytime, but knew he would be alone in the family's Happy Valley flat at night.
You can't leave a child with special needs alone ... there could be accidents
The police found the boy, who was not named in the hearing, home alone on June 2, after a concerned neighbour alerted the police.
Police found the singer and songwriter's flat in disarray and with a bad smell, with the boy home alone without any adult supervision. The police also had a hard time communicating with the boy - diagnosed with autism and epilepsy - who kept biting himself and laughing.
"This court understands that having a child with special needs can be very difficult," Principal Magistrate Bina Chainrai told Chow.
Chainrai acknowledged that Chow had made an effort to get friends to care for his son while he was away.
