HONG KONG (Agencies): Hong Kong police have arrested a domestic helper on suspicion of murdering a 93-year-old widowed cancer survivor she was caring for, with an investigation suggesting the elderly woman was assaulted repeatedly in the hours before her death.
The woman, surnamed Kwan, was found unresponsive in her flat in Long Yiu House at Tak Long Estate in Kai Tak on Sunday morning, police said.
The 52-year-old helper, hired to provide round-the-clock care, sought help from building security staff at about 8.20am, saying the woman was unresponsive and needed an ambulance, according to SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST.
The HKFP then reported that Police said during a press briefing on Monday that the domestic worker sought help downstairs from her employer’s flat in Kai Tak’s Tak Long Estate at around 8.20am on Sunday after finding the elderly woman unresponsive.
Paramedics arrived and attempted to resuscitate the 93-year-old. She was brought to the hospital and declared dead at 9.12am.
Police searched the flat and did not find any signs that an attack had taken place. There were also no obvious injuries on the woman’s body.
But police said they obtained footage in the early hours of Monday that showed the domestic worker assaulting her employer at around 8am on Sunday.
Assistant district commander Terry Wan said that between 8.03am and 8.10am, the worker used her bare hands to hit the elderly woman’s neck, head and face around 20 times while on her bed.
She also stepped on her chest and moved her violently, Wan said.
Police arrested the domestic worker at around 3.50am on Monday. A forensic report showed bruises on the elderly woman’s chest and abdomen, and abrasions on her neck.
According to Wan, the woman lived alone with the domestic worker. Her husband died around 30 years ago, and they did not have children.
He said the woman had chronic illnesses including high blood pressure and high cholesterol. She was also diagnosed with colorectal cancer 17 years ago and had a stroke around two years ago.
“She was on long-term medication and needed to go for check-ups. Because of her health condition, doctors recommended her family members arrange 24-hour care for her,” Wan said in Cantonese.
“[The domestic worker] arrived to take care of the deceased in January 2023,” Wan added.
Wan said police believed the employer and the worker had a bad relationship, and that the worker may have been overworked. -- Agencies
