Girl was studying online due to COVID-19 school closure
A local man slapped his eight-year-old stepdaughter suspecting that she was playing on her smartphone and then smacked his wife after she tried to stop him, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Choi Ian Fai said during a regular press conference yesterday.
Choi said that the 34-year-old suspect surnamed Keong, who works as a chef, has admitted to hurting his wife and stepdaughter because he lost his temper. Choi said that Keong was arrested on Thursday after the wife reported the incident to the police.
According to Choi, when his stepdaughter was using the smartphone for an online lesson, Keong believed that she was playing on the phone so he slapped her. When his 33-year-old wife tried to stop him, he smacked her as well and even threw a plastic stool at her, injuring her face, neck, and limbs.
The stepdaughter’s face and shoulders were bruised and three teeth ofher became loose. She needed to stay in hospital for observation.
Choi said that the suspect married the victim in 2017 and they have a two-year-old son together. Afterwards, Keong applied for his wife and stepdaughter to move from the mainland to Macau. His wife and stepdaughter are non-permanent residents.
Choi noted that the stepdaughter usually lives and studies in the mainland but because of the COVID-19 epidemic she is temporarily staying in Macau. Schools in Macau, Hong Kong and the mainland have launched online lessons for their pupils as they are temporarily closed in response to the novel coronavirus threat.
After the incident, the injured woman took her two children out of the flat and reported the incident to the police.
The suspect was transferred to the Public Prosecution Office (MP) on Friday for further investigation. He faces domestic violence charges.
Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Choi Ian Fai (left) addresses yesterday’s regular press conference while Public Security Police (PSP) spokesman Kam Ka Kit looks at his files. - Photo: Camy Tam
