Elderly woman almost suffocated in house attack
Son-in-law being held by police in connection with assault
PUBLISHED : Friday, 04 April, 2014, 6:39pm
UPDATED : Friday, 04 April, 2014, 6:39pm
Clifford Lo [email protected]
The attack on the 67-year-old woman allegedly took place at the Mei Foo Sun Chuen housing estate. Photo: May Tse
A 67-year-old woman is being treated in hospital after being nearly suffocated in an attack at her home in Lai Chi Kok today.
Crime-squad officers arrested her son-in-law in connection with the attack and the case is being treated as attempted murder, police say.
“An initial investigation showed that the woman was smothered with a thinner-soaked towel over her face for a few minutes,” a police source said.
The elderly woman was found unconscious in the fifth-floor apartment at Mei Foo Sun Chuen on Humbert Street, when officers arrived. She is being treated at Princess Margaret Hospital in Kwai Chung and is believed to be in critical condition.
The attack was discovered when the woman’s son-in-law called police shortly before 3pm. “Investigation showed the victim was attacked as she refused to lend him HK$1 million,” the source said.
Officers then arrested her 37-year-old son-in-law in connection with the case.
His wife, also aged 37 and six-year-old child and their helper were not home at the time of the incident.
The suspect, who was hooded and handcuffed, was taken to Cheung Sha Wan police station before 4pm. He is still being held for questioning and has not been charged.
Detectives from the Sham Shui Po district crime squad are investigating.
