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Emily Hung

An elderly Hong Kong couple have been found dead in their home, in a suspected suicide believed to be related to their chronic illnesses.
Their son-in-law called police at around 9pm on Monday after he lost contact with them.
After arriving at the flat at Lam Tin’s Tak Tin Estate in east Kowloon, police discovered the husband and wife, aged 81 and 77 respectively, lying unconsciously in their room with a tray of burned charcoal next to them. A suicide note was also found at the flat.
The couple were certified dead at the scene. Police said they classified the case as suicide while they continued to investigate.
Sources said the couple “had been unhappy” for a while due to the woman’s medical condition.
Elderly people aged 60 or above have the highest suicide rate among all age groups, as cases continued to rise in recent years. Data from concern group Samaritan Befrienders Hong Kong has shown that older age increases the risk of suicide.

In 2023, the number of suicides among people aged 70 or above reached 26.31 per 100,000 people, amounting to 290 people in total.
There was also a spate of family tragedies involving elderly people struggling with chronic illnesses and their carers, many of whom were also old and frail.
In March, an 84-year-old dementia sufferer was found dead with tape covering his nose and mouth at his home on Beacon Hill in Kowloon Tong, while his wife was discovered injured and unconscious at the scene.
Police arrested the woman, 71, over the suspected murder-suicide attempt.
In January, an 80-year-old man died in an alleged murder-suicide attempt at Shek Mun MTR station.
His 71-year-old wife, who is disabled and has dementia, survived the incident. Staff found the pair inside a bathroom with their heads covered by plastic bags tied with strings.
In response, the government set up a carer support hotline and a service information online gateway.
Community care teams in Tsuen Wan and Southern districts were also tasked with going door-to-door to identify elderly households and carers in need of help.
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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Chronically ill elderly Hong Kong couple found dead in suspected charcoal-burning suicide

Tak Tin Plaza. Police discovered the husband and wife lying unconsciously inside their flat. Photo: Wikipedia

Tak Tin Estate. The suspected suicide is believed to have been related to the couple’s chronic illnesses. Photo: Google Maps

Suicides in Hong Kong hit 16-year high with nearly 1,100 cases, concern group says

A suicide prevention group says about 52 per cent of cases, or 573, involved people aged between 20 to 59. Photo: Shutterstock

Samaritan Befrienders Hong Kong has launched “Chatpoint Youth Crisis Angel Training Program” to provide continuous emotional support to those in need through online chat rooms. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Hong Kong woman arrested in murder-attempted suicide case after husband fatally slashed in flat

The incident happened at the family’s flat in Lohas Park. Photo: Sun Yeung

‘Tip of the iceberg’: spate of Hong Kong murder-suicide tragedies sparks calls for early detection of high-risk families

Hong Kong has about 77,000 to 90,000 people with intellectual disabilities, according to data published in 2022. Photo: Shutterstock

A man, 80, died in an alleged murder-suicide attempt at Shek Mun MTR station in January. Photo: Google Maps

A woman, 58, and her 32-year-old son with mentally disabilities were found dead in their home at Kwai Fong Estate on Monday. Photo: Handout

News

Hong Kong

Police find couple lying unconsciously in room with burned charcoal and suicide note


Police find couple lying unconsciously in room with burned charcoal and suicide note.


Suicides in Hong Kong

Disease