A family of three residing in Muar, Malaysia suffered a tragic fate when a man dies abruptly, leaving his cognitively challenged children without any support.
On Friday (23 Aug), the 76-year-old father and his son were discovered dead by their neighbours.
Based on the state of his corpse, the father, whose name is Zhang Fuming (transliterated from Mandarin), was believed to have been dead for four to five days.
Source: Guang Ming Daily
His 37-year-old mentally disabled son, Zhang Weicai (transliterated from Mandarin), was believed to have starved to death. He had depended on his father for food and other needs.
The elderly man’s 44-year-old daughter, also intellectually challenged, was found alive but weak and severely dehydrated. She was rushed to the hospital for treatment.
According to China Press, the neighbours began noticing a foul smell coming from the house on 22 Aug and realised the lights had been off for three days.
They then contacted volunteers from a charity organisation who occasionally delivered necessities to the old man’s home.
A male neighbour and a volunteer called out to the father from outside the house, but got no response.
Peering through the window, they saw the son’s blackened body on the living room sofa, prompting them to alert the police.
One neighbour recalled hearing the daughter crying over the past few days but had dismissed it, as she said the daughter cried often.
The neighbour also noted that the iron gate had been locked, but the wooden door was open, and they hadn’t seen the old man leave.
After spotting the son’s corpse, they coaxed the daughter to unlock the door by offering her food and drink.
Once she ate, she opened the door, allowing the police to enter and find the two decaying bodies inside.
Image courtesy of Canva for illustrative purposes only
The father’s severely decomposed body was found in the shower, infested with maggots.
According to China Press, Mr Zhang was a retired painter whose wife died a decade ago.
Friendly to the neighbours, he would cycle to buy food for his children daily, rain or shine.
On 25 Aug, Muar District Police Chief Assistant Commissioner Rajimkriz told China Press that the daughter is in good health and her relatives have been contacted to retrieve her from the hospital.
He also stated that the autopsy revealed no criminal elements, and the deaths of the father and son were classified as sudden deaths.
When asked about the exact cause of death for the two deceased, Rajimkriz mentioned that the police are still awaiting the DNA test report.
He added that the bodies have yet to be claimed by their relatives.
Also read: 27-year-old M’sian woman found dead 8 hours after going missing, family taken in for questioning
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Featured image adapted from Guang Ming Daily
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