Elderly Hong Kong man dies after alleged murder-suicide attempt in MTR toilet; disabled wife with dementia survives
- Shek Mun MTR staff find pair unconscious inside toilet with their heads covered by plastic bags; police classify case as attempted murder-suicide
- Wife was diagnosed with dementia 15 years ago and recently moved to care home, source says
An 80-year-old Hong Kong man has died in an alleged murder-suicide attempt inside an MTR station toilet, while his disabled wife with dementia has survived.
Staff at Shek Mun MTR station in Sha Tin contacted police at around 4.30pm on Tuesday after finding the couple unconscious inside a public toilet with their heads covered by plastic bags tied with strings.
The 71-year-old woman, who uses a wheelchair, regained consciousness after emergency services personnel attended the scene.
Hong Kong police investigate link between murder-suicide case and noise dispute
The pair were rushed to Prince of Wales Hospital in Sha Tin but the man was pronounced dead at 5.22pm. The woman was in a stable condition, the Hospital Authority said on Wednesday afternoon.
A police source said the man is alleged to have put a bag on the woman’s head before doing the same to himself.
She was diagnosed with dementia about 15 years ago and had recently moved into a care home and her husband lived with their son.
The man had collected his wife from the home for an outing on Tuesday, the insider said.
A spokesman for the Social and Welfare Department said the pair were not being handled by a social worker. However, the department had contacted family members and would offer appropriate help.
According to the MTR Corporation, a staff member at the station was alerted around 4pm when the alarm in the accessible toilet was triggered. The worker immediately checked the toilet, unlocking the door after getting no response from knocking.
Police have classified the case as an attempted murder-suicide.
Hong Kong man, 66, suspected to have killed himself after choking ill daughter, 39
The Sha Tin district crime squad, which is investigating the incident, appealed to anyone with information that could help the inquiry to contact officers at 3661 2723.
Tragedies involving elderly carers have sparked public concern in recent years. Experts have said the estimated 1.3 million carers are under huge stress, but the government has offered only limited support and Hong Kong lacks carer-centred policies.
The city’s rapidly ageing population has also added to the problem, they have warned.
