Mother-daughter deaths show city’s vulnerable need better support
Counselling alone is not enough to prevent suicides, which remain a pressing social problem and call for more sensitive and effective responses
The 48-year-old woman, a government social worker with no mental illness record, died after falling from her 19th-floor flat in the middle-class neighbourhood of Taikoo Shing on Wednesday. About 10 hours later, her 12-year-old daughter was found dead at the same scene. The pair had reportedly argued over education problems.
The circumstances contributing to the decision to take one’s own life are often complex. While academic pressure in Hong Kong is notoriously intense and often takes an emotional toll on children and parents alike, it remains unclear whether the family concerned was beset with other problems.
One source said the girl was recommended to see a doctor for her emotional well-being following her mother’s death and met a registered clinical psychologist. She was accompanied by her father when she returned home in the evening. Minutes later, residents heard a bang and the girl was found lying on the podium.