Mother thought to have attempted suicide arrested on suspicion of murdering son in Hong Kong

A 55-year-old woman has been arrested in Hong Kong on suspicion of killing her son after police found the man’s body on a sofa in her flat.

Officers believed the mother, who was a widow, drugged and strangled the 23-year-old before attempting suicide, though the cause of death was unclear. They found rat poison and two lengths of cable at her home on Shin Ming Estate, Tseung Kwan O.

Police were called to the flat on Saturday night after the mother, who they said appeared dazed, told a security guard at the public housing estate that she and her son had taken the poison.

After breaking into the flat, police found the son’s body lying on the sofa in the living room.

Chief Inspector Cheung Ting-fung said the body was covered with a blanket, with a badminton racquet placed on top.

“We found strangle marks on the neck, but there were no wounds on other parts of the body, or signs of a struggle,” Cheung said.

“The exact cause of death can only be confirmed after further examination and toxicology tests, but we believe he had been dead for one to two days.”

Inside the flat, officers found two packs of poison, along with a large quantity of sleeping pills.

Cheung said the deceased could have eaten food mixed with sleeping pills before he was strangled.

Police also found two charging cables for mobile phones inside the flat, one of which they said had been snapped.

They believed it was used in the killing.

Cheung said the other cable, which had been hung from a small window outside a bedroom, had been tied into a loop.

“We also believe the woman had attempted suicide by hanging herself inside the flat and taking poison,” Cheung said.

A suicide note, which officers believed the mother wrote, was also found.

“But we cannot find a note by the deceased,” Cheung said.

After getting in touch with the son’s friends, Cheung said they could find no reason that he would have killed himself, which is why they arrested the mother on suspicion of murder. The woman had been sent to Tseung Kwan O Hospital.

The police source said the woman, who moved into the flat in 2011 with her son, did not mention her motives in the suicide note. The source said she wrote that people should not mourn them, and detailed her wishes for after their deaths.

Another source familiar with the situation said the woman had been getting treatment for depression and psychosis.

Sai Kung district councillor Christine Fong Kwok-shan said the woman had occasionally volunteered at her office. She was gentle and polite, and appeared physically healthy, Fong said, adding that she last saw her about a year ago.

“We don’t know what kind of difficulties she was facing. The government should deploy more resources to help poor and single-parent households,” Fong said.

Jackie Chen, an executive member at the Hong Kong Social Workers’ General Union, noted that the Social Welfare Department provided counselling for mentally ill residents, but said its centres usually struggle with a large workload.

“It may not be possible for the centre’s staff to do home visits,” she said.

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