Police have arrested a 52-year-old Indonesian domestic helper in Hong Kong on suspicion of murdering a 93-year-old woman in her care.
CCTV footage reportedly showed the suspect assaulting the victim at Tak Yiu House in Tak Long Estate for six minutes before she was found unconscious on Sunday (11 Oct).
The victim was taken to the hospital but was ultimately pronounced dead at 9.12am.
The victim’s family reviewed surveillance footage and allegedly found that the helper had slapped and hit the elderly woman on the head, neck, and face.
She purportedly did this over 20 times between 8.03am to 8.09am, The Standard reported.
She was also seen repeatedly stepping on the victim’s abdomen and manoeuvring her roughly.
At around 8.10am, the victim was found unresponsive. The helper tried to wake her before calling the victim’s niece at 8.20am.
Subsequently, security personnel at the building alerted the police regarding the incident.
Source: The Standard
Preliminary forensic examination revealed two bruises on the victim’s chest, and several others on her abdomen and jaw.
There was also an abrasion on the left side of her neck.
The preliminary exam found no obvious fatal injuries on the victim’s body, but authorities will conduct an autopsy and further tests to identify the exact cause of her death.
Source: CastaldoStudio on Canva for illustration purposes only
The elderly woman had been living alone since her husband died around three decades ago.
She suffered from multiple health conditions, including hypertension, high blood sugar, and high cholesterol, and was even diagnosed with colorectal cancer 17 years ago.
Over two years ago, she had a stroke, which required her to receive long-term medication, regular check-ups, and 24/7 care.
Police suspected that the alleged assault was due to friction from the long-term caregiving arrangement or a strained relationship brought on by fatigue.
Sources claimed that the helper, who had been caring for the victim since Jan 2023, only had a half-day off per week, on irregular days.
Source: The Standard
Under Hong Kong’s Standard Employment Contract, foreign domestic helpers are entitled to at least one rest day every seven days.
However, it has been common practice for employers and helpers to agree on converting rest days for extra pay, The Standard reported.
Additionally, police shared that the unit where the victim and the suspect lived was about 150 square feet with no bedroom.
A neighbour claimed the flat was cluttered with furniture and clothes, leaving the pair with little living space.
Initial investigations also suggested that the helper had previously assaulted the victim on other occasions.
During the past two weeks, the suspect allegedly assaulted the victim daily.
The Standard reported that her relatives visited monthly, while Social Welfare Department staff checked on her regularly.
The suspect remains in police custody as the investigation continues.
Also read: Domestic helper in Hong Kong arrested after shoving 2 young boys into dog cage
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