Triple murder-suicide: Hong Kong father took son for breakfast before returning to flat to burn charcoal
PUBLISHED : Monday, 07 September, 2015, 10:52am
UPDATED : Monday, 07 September, 2015, 11:49pm
Elizabeth Cheung and Clifford Lo
The eight-year-old found dead with his elder brother and father in a murder-suicide on Saturday was last seen going out with his father a week ago, two days after he was fed rat poison and survived, police sources say.
Officers believe Chan Chun-hing, 52, and Chan Sze-ho left their Ma On Shan flat for breakfast on August 31 and that he also went to buy charcoal in preparation for the suicide later that day.
The father's journal found at the scene revealed that Sze-ho's brother, Sze-ming, 10, died at home after being fed rat poison on August 23, according to one police source.
"[The journal] also claimed that the younger boy was fed about one-third of a pack of rat poison on August 29, but he survived," the source said.
"It said that the father then burned charcoal to commit suicide with his [younger] son on August 31."
Headmaster Ng Shun-cheong appealed to pupils to come forward with their problems. Photo: Dickson Lee
Their neighbours told police that Sze-ho and his father were seen leaving the flat in Kam Ying Court on the morning of August 31, he said. Police are still checking at what time they returned home and where the charcoal was bought.
The tragedy was discovered after the two boys failed to show up at the start of the academic year on Tuesday last week.
Their aunt, Chan's elder sister, was alerted by the schools and visited the flat with Chan's former wife on Thursday, but no one answered the door.
The grim discovery was made when a locksmith helped the two women to open the door on Saturday. No rat poison was discovered in the flat.
Chan Sze-ho at a school event in May last year. Photo: SCMP Pictures
The source said officers would check security camera footage and interview relatives and neighbours to collect evidence. Postmortem examinations would be carried out this week.
Chan's business had failed and he closed his mainland factory about seven years ago. It is understood he received an insurance payout of about HK$1 million after a stroke in 2009 left him partially disabled.
He gave all his savings to his wife to run her business before he went bankrupt. The couple divorced about two years ago and she met a boyfriend.
Another police source said officers were also investigating an allegation that their divorce was bogus. It is understood she financially supported Chan and their sons after they divorced.
An undated file picture of 52 years-old father Chan Chu-hing. Photo: SCMP Pictures
Yesterday, Sze-ho's classmates at Ng Clan's Association Tai Pak Memorial School were urged to speak up when they had problems as counsellors set up support services at the school.
"All teachers are extremely sad and sorrowful to hear the news," Ng Shun-cheong, the headmaster, said, reminding pupils to stay strong and tell trusted adults if they faced difficulties in life. "We should use a positive attitude to face problems ... and talk to parents or teachers to seek help," he said.
Sha Tin Public School, a school for mentally challenged pupils, which was attended by Sze-ming, said its teachers and pupils were deeply saddened. Social workers and a psychologist counselled pupils and parents.
