Elderly couple found dead in Hong Kong flat ‘with burnt charcoal in living room’, sparking suicide investigation
- Authorities were alerted when the pair’s daughter visited them but no one answered the door
- The man was 75 and wheelchair-bound, while his wife, 87, had been suffering from depression for about a decade, according to source
An elderly couple were found dead in a Hong Kong public housing flat on Monday, sparking a police investigation into whether a suicide pact was involved.
Emergency crews rushed to Tin Yan Estate, off Tin Shui Road in Tin Shui Wai, at 1.41pm after receiving a report from a security guard.
The guard was alerted by the daughter of the deceased pair, who visited the 11th-floor flat of Yan Lok House at the estate at 1.30pm, but found no one answered the door.
“Firefighters broke into the flat and found the bodies of a man and a woman inside,” a police spokeswoman said.
The man was 75 and his wife was 87. They had five grown children who had moved out of the flat, according to a police source.
Decomposing bodies of Hong Kong man and woman found in Hung Hom flat
The man had difficulty walking and was wheelchair-bound, while his wife had suffered from depression for about a decade.
“The man was found unconscious in a wheelchair in the kitchen and his wife was found in the bedroom. They were certified dead at the scene,” the source said.
He said officers found a tray of burnt charcoal in the living room but no suicide note. The flat was locked from the inside and police were investigating if it was a suicide pact.
The pair were last seen at home when their son visited them around midday on Sunday.
If you or someone you know are having suicidal thoughts, help is available. For Hong Kong, dial +852 2896 0000 for The Samaritans or +852 2382 0000 for Suicide Prevention Services. In the US, call The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on +1 800 273 8255. For a list of other nations’ helplines, see this page.
