17-year-old plunges to her death in front of shocked classmates

[Hanzo Kattori]

Published: Tuesday February 8, 2011 MYT 5:44:00 PM
Updated: Tuesday February 8, 2011 MYT 9:25:20 PM

17-year-old plunges to her death in front of shocked classmates

By MARTIN CARVALHO and CINDY TAN

Fifth Former, in her Facebook wall, had warned of taking her own life

MALACCA: A 17-year-old student of SMK Seri Kota in Ayer Leleh here plunged to her death from the third floor of the school Tuesday, in front of horrified classmates.

Sally Lee Qian Chun, a Form 5A student, had abruptly walked out during a lesson in the Chemistry lab on the second floor of the three-storey block and gone up to her classroom.

Witnesses were shocked when they saw her sitting precariously on the corridor's ledge facing the empty classroom, before falling backwards at about 9.15am. She died from fatal head injuries.

When met the Malacca Hospital mortuary, a close relative, who refused to be named, said Lee seemed fine and happy when he saw her a day earlier.
Her distraught parents, from Taman Bukit Katil, Bukit Katil, refused to speak to reporters.

Lee, the eldest of three siblings, was described by teachers as a bright and well-behaved student. Meanwhile, it is learnt that Lee had posted several disturbing comments on her Facebook page since Jan 15, saying this would be her last Chinese New Year.

On Friday, the second day of the new year, she posted that she had planned to take her life last month. On Sunday night, Lee wrote of a failed relationship and broken promises while reiterating her desire to take her life.

However, her shocking remarks only drew taunts and dares from friends telling her to go ahead with her plans to kill herself. In her last post at 3.45pm Monday, Lee reminded her friends to keep their promises of buying her a teddy-bear and a coffin.

She also told them not to miss her when she was gone and to take care of themselves. When contacted, Melaka Tengah OCPD ACP Salehhudin Abd Rahman confirmed the incident, saying the case has been classified as sudden death.

Although foul play was ruled out following eye-witness statements to the police, he said a post mortem would be carried out on Lee's remains.

 

[Hanzo Kattori]

Thursday February 10, 2011

Family and friends grieve at teen’s funeral

By CINDY TAN
[email protected]

MALACCA: Sally Lee Qian Chun may have been lonely and heartbroken when she fell to her death, but her funeral drew about 100 family members and schoolmates saddened by the loss of a young life. It was a heart-wrenching scene at the memorial park in Jelutong yesterday — her sobbing parents were seen being comforted by relatives and many of her friends were crying.

More than 30 students and several teachers from Lee’s school, SMK Seri Kota, Ayer Leleh, came on a bus to say their goodbyes. The 17-year-old died on Tuesday morning after falling from the second floor of her school — just days after posting on her Facebook wall about wanting to take her life.

Last goodbye: Classmates and teachers paying their respects to the late Sally Lee at the wake in Jelutong yesterday.

In the 9.15am tragedy, classmates saw Lee abruptly walking out during a Chemistry lesson in the laboratory on the first floor and going to her classroom a floor above. Witnesses were shocked to see Lee sitting precariously on the corridor ledge facing her classroom before falling backwards. She suffered fatal head injuries.

Also present at the wake was Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam who extended his condolences to the grieving family. He had directed the state Education Department to offer counselling to students traumatised by the tragedy. A check on Lee’s Facebook page showed it had shut down.

A memorial page in her name, believed to have been started by her friends on Tuesday, had received more than 2,800 “likes” by visitors. While many of the posts expressed condolences and messages stating that she would be missed, some of the posts criticised Lee for taking her life.

“She (Lee) is no longer around, do not scold (her) anymore. No one knows why she left, (those who) do not know, do not speculate!” posted the site administrator.