Mother carried girl before jumping
ChannelNewsAsia
<cite style="display: block; font-style: normal; font-size: 10px; margin-top: 4px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 4px; margin-left: 0px; ">Double tragedy</cite>
SINGAPORE: A mother who fell to her death with her young daughter from a Bukit Batok flat in April had carried the girl before making the fatal leap, the coroner's court heard Monday.
In an inquest into the double tragedy, the court heard that the mother, former China national, He Xuejing, had intended to end her own life and took nine-year-old Bao Peiqin with her.
Both fell to their deaths from a 12-storey flat at Block 290B Bukit Batok Street 24 at around 7am on April 15.
Forty-five-year-old Madam He was initially very positive about her move to Singapore almost 15 years ago.
She had no major complaints about her new life here, but her husband, 49-year-old Bao Xiaoming, an A*STAR researcher, recalled that her attitude changed late last year.
He noted that she became more agitated over what appeared to be trivial matters and could sense that she was losing her enthusiasm about living in Singapore.
The Baos, who came from China, obtained their Singapore citizenship in 2003.
But even after nearly 10 years here, Madam He frequently told her husband that their own behaviour and mannerisms were not like native Singaporeans.
Her elder daughter had also overheard her saying that unlike China nationals, Madam He felt that Singaporeans tended to not reveal their feelings and opinions.
Madam He also felt that Peiqin was not welcomed in school and should return to China.
She deliberately did not send her to school one day to see how it would react to her daughter's absence.
And Madam He arrived at that conclusion after she claimed that staff members there did not call her to enquire about Peiqin.
Investigating officer, Sergeant Russell Lim Fang Yu, told the court that shortly after discovering the bodies, officers went up to the Baos' flat and noticed that a black chair had been placed beside a wide open bedroom window.
Officers also found three handwritten letters, most probably written by Madam He addressed to her parents, husband and elder daughter.
The court heard that the letters stated that she loved her family members and that she was about to "leave" with Peiqin.
State Coroner Imran Abdul Hamid said that Madam He had unlawfully caused her daughter's death, adding that Peiqin was a victim of her mother's "impulsive act".
Both died from multiple injuries and were pronounced dead at the spot at around 8am that day.
