Hong Kong police are probing a suspected attempted murder-suicide after a father died and his seven-year-old son was injured when they plunged from a shopping centre in Kowloon City.
The investigation was launched after the man, 58, believed to be a taxi driver, and the boy, both Hong Kong identity card holders, were found unconscious with serious injuries in an alley next to Kowloon City Plaza on Carpenter Road at around 9.30pm on Monday.
Security personnel called emergency services and the boy was rushed to Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The man was taken to Kwong Wah Hospital and certified dead at 10.17pm.
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The boy is in critical condition and is being treated at the hospital’s paediatric intensive care unit. He is in the care of his mother.
Chief Inspector Law Chin-hon of the Kowloon City district crime unit said an initial investigation suggested the father had taken his son to the shopping mall’s car park on the sixth floor and thrown the boy from the building, before jumping off.
“Following initial investigations, we have not ruled out the possibility the father was addicted to gambling, bore mounting debt and ended up choosing to commit suicide with his son,” he said.
Investigators cordoned off the site and were examining the scene on Monday night.
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Police said no suicide note had been found.
A Kowloon City district investigation team is handling the investigation.
If you have suicidal thoughts, or you know someone who is, help is available. For Hong Kong, dial +852 18111 for the government-run “Mental Health Support Hotline” or +852 2896 0000 for The Samaritans and +852 2382 0000 for Suicide Prevention Services. In the US, call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
For a list of other nations’ helplines, see this page.
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