Taiwanese singer Yu Tian (second from right) and his wife Li Ya-ping (second from left) with their daughter Yu Yuan-chi, son-in-law Gary Chen and grandchildren in a photo posted on social media in 2021. Photo: Yu Yuan-chi/Facebook
Taiwanese singer Yu Tian and his wife, singer Li Ya-ping, are seeking guardianship of their two grandchildren after the detention of their son-in-law Gary Chen.
Chen is the husband of Yu Yuan-chi, the second daughter of Yu, 76, and Li, 74.
Yuan-chi, who died of cancer at the age of 39 in August 2022, had a daughter, six, and son, four, with Chen.
Chen, who is four years younger than Yuan-chi, is in detention following his arrest in late April for suspected involvement in a scam syndicate. He was handed charges by the New Taipei District Prosecutors Office on June 24, including on fraud and money laundering.
Yu Tian, who rose to prominence with the song Under The Banyan Tree (1977), appeared at Shilin District Court in Taipei with his wife on June 24 morning.
They told Taiwanese media after a mediation session at the court that they had just spoken with Chen via video conference.
“We hope to raise the two children at our home and Gary is still giving it some consideration,” Yu Tian said. “We have not reached a resolution today and there may be another round of mediation.”
Li, who is known for her rousing rendition of the song Wake Up, Lei Meng Na (1972), said she and Yu Tian are trying to help Chen as they know it is expensive to raise the children.
“Maybe he was confused this time and resorted to other means,” Li said, likely referring to Chen’s alleged fraud. “We will try to help him and hope he does not need to worry about the children.”
Yu Tian said he and his wife did not know how much money their daughter had left after her death, but added that Chen did not ask them for money for the children’s upbringing.
They were also not aware whether Chen has a new partner, as reported by the media.
Earlier in June, Li told the media that their two grandchildren had come to their house briefly after Chen’s arrest before returning home the next day. She said the two children are being taken care of by the domestic helper employed by Yuan-chi before her death.
“We are suggesting for the children to come to our house so that we can take care oft them since there is no one overseeing them currently,” Yu Tian said on June 24. “Gary can come and visit them any time if the children are staying with us.” – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
