Tuesday February 19, 2008
Ying Ying’s alleged killer found dead
By BERNARD SEE and TAN SIN CHOW
PENANG: A former karaoke outlet manager charged with the brutal killing of three-year-old Shearwel Ooi Ying Ying, which stunned the nation, was found hanged in a prison clinic in Jalan Gaol here yesterday.
Ong Chee Leong, 29, was found at 5.10pm by a prison warder.
Police believe he hanged himself with a makeshift ligature from the bed sheet found in the clinic.
Ong was led out of his prison cell earlier yesterday to seek treatment for a headache at the clinic.
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Little consolation: The paternal grandparents of murdered girl Shearwel Ooi Ying Ying, Ooi Kean Choon (left) and Teh Cheng See reading a Chinese newspaper report on the death of Ong Chee Leong, the man accused of the toddler's killing. Chee Leong was found hanged in a prison clinic in Penang. But the grandparents found scant consolation in his death. - K.T. GOH / The Star |
Ong's remains were taken to the Penang Hospital for a post-mortem.
Ying Ying’s father Ooi Eng Chew, 29, said Ong had received his dues if he had indeed done what he had to his daughter.
“I hope the prosecution will now apply to withdraw the murder charge so that my daughter’s remains can be handed back to me as I plan to hold a special prayer for her to enable her soul to rest in peace,” he said.
Ong, who was arrested on July 8 last year, had been charged with the murder of Ying Ying at an apartment in Lengkok Angsana, Bandar Baru Air Itam, between 7.30am and 6.30pm on July 5, last year.
His hearing had been fixed for next month.
He was also charged with possessing 0.79gm of cannabis together with his then girlfriend at the same apartment.
Ying Ying was found dead three days after she was reported missing on July 5.
Her bone fragments were strewn at four different places – a cemetery, river and an apartment dumpsite in Paya Terubong and another river in Jalan Air Itam.
Ong and his girlfriend, Ying Ying's mother Jess Teh, were arrested in connection with the murder of the little girl.
But what became the highlight of the case was that Teh had appealed to the Penang MCA and public to help look for her missing daughter, who she claimed had disappeared at the Bayan Baru market when she left her alone to pay her parking ticket.
Her appeal also led to a state-wide search. Thousands of posters of Ying Ying were printed and distributed as well as put up in public places.
Teh, when told about Ong's death, said she was “neither happy nor sad as I have nothing to do with him anymore.”
“It is only fair a life is paid with a life for what Ong had done to my daughter. I regretted having him as a boyfriend.”
“Ong’s death will not bring back Ying Ying. What good will his death bring to anyone,” said the girl’s maternal grandfather Teh Tatt Beng, 53.
“What’s done is done. Nothing will ever bring back my little girl.”
The paternal grandparents, Ooi Kean Choon and Teh Cheng See, when approached at their stall in Padang Brown, said no matter how many times Ong died, their granddaughter would never come back to life.
Ong's lawyer S. Rethina Kumar said the prosecution would inform the court on how to proceed with the case.
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