Why Hong Kong is fixated on the death of a teenage girl whose body was found at sea
- Jury delivered an open verdict after coroner ruled out suicide and homicide as causes of death
- Chan Yin-lam, 15, who died at the height of last year’s anti-government protests, has been the subject of wild conspiracies and unsubstantiated rumours
The death of Chan Yin-lam has been the subject of wild conspiracy theories and unsubstantiated rumours among many anti-government protesters since her naked body was found at sea last September, three months into Hong Kong’s unprecedented social unrest.
When news of her death first broke, videos of the 15-year-old girl voicing support for protesters went viral, sparking demands for the “truth”. Some even accused police of being responsible and behind a cover-up, prompting fierce official denials and condemnation of false allegations.
Before the jury started their deliberation, the coroner highlighted two paths towards a conclusion: they should first consider if Chan died of an accident, and if not, deliver an open verdict.
He ruled out suicide and homicide as the possible causes of death, saying the evidence was insufficient to support this beyond any reasonable doubt.
The Post looks at important facts that have been established to quash the rumours, as well as the circumstances of Chan’s death over which the Coroner’s Court was not able to provide definite explanations.
1. What happened right before Chan entered the water