A man, his wife and one of their two sons were found dead, while their other son was critically injured, at a residence in Chiayi County’s Shueishang Township (水上) early yesterday, with police describing the incident as an apparent murder-suicide.
Police found the bodies when they arrived at the scene at about 5am after receiving a report from the man’s father.
The 38-year-old husband, surnamed Wu (吳), had called his father earlier in the morning to say that he “will be taking his family away,” police said.
Photo: Lu Hsien-hsiu, Taipei Times
Wu was found in a courtyard, while his 30-year-old wife, surnamed Lin (林), and two sons, aged 10 and 8, were discovered inside the home, police officer Huang Chun-chieh (黃俊傑) said.
The younger child was alive and was rushed to St Martin de Porres Hospital, Huang said.
Chen Hung-wen (陳鴻文), head of the emergency ward at the hospital, said that the eight-year-old was conscious upon arrival.
The child had a laceration on his neck, a buildup of air in his right chest area due to the neck wound and signs of poor blood flow, Chen said.
After being treated, the boy was to be put in an intensive care unit for further observation, he said.
A 25cm knife was found at the scene and is believed to be the weapon used in the incident, police said, adding that there were trails of blood inside the home and on a second-floor balcony.
Lacerations were also found on the left side of Wu’s neck and his wrist, while similar wounds were on the left side of Lin’s neck and on the 10-year-old’s, they said.
The Chiayi County Social Affairs Bureau said that Lin had complained about domestic abuse, but never applied for a restraining order against her husband.
The bureau said that its social workers had visited the couple to get an understanding of their situation based on the complaint and had provided counseling.
Lin was also told that she could apply for a restraining order, but she did not file for one, it said.
Police said that Wu was a handicraft artisan and lived with his family in a three-story house that was purchased by his wife’s mother.
There had been reports of domestic abuse, with Lin having sought hospital care after being hit by her husband, police said, adding that the couple on Monday had agreed to divorce.
Taipei and New Taipei City government officials are aiming to have the first phase of the Wanhua-Jungho-Shulin Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line completed and opened by 2027, following the arrival of the first train set yesterday. The 22km-long Light Green Line would connect four densely populated districts in Taipei and New Taipei City: Wanhua (萬華), Jhonghe (中和), Tucheng (土城) and Shulin (樹林). The first phase of the project would connect Wanhua and Jhonghe districts, with Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and Chukuang (莒光) being the terminal stations. The two municipalities jointly hosted a ceremony for the first train to be used
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) yesterday said it is fully aware of the situation following reports that the son of ousted Chinese politician Bo Xilai (薄熙來) has arrived in Taiwan and is to marry a Taiwanese. Local media reported that Bo Guagua (薄瓜瓜), son of the former member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, is to marry the granddaughter of Luodong Poh-Ai Hospital founder Hsu Wen-cheng (許文政). The pair met when studying abroad and arranged to get married this year, with the wedding breakfast to be held at The One holiday resort in Hsinchu
Tropical Storm Usagi strengthened to a typhoon this morning and remains on track to brush past southeastern Taiwan between Friday and Sunday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The storm, which as of 8am was still 1,100km southeast of southern Taiwan, is currently expected to enter the Bashi Channel and then turn north, moving into waters southeast of Taiwan, the CWA said. Because of its rapid speed — 28kph as of 8am — a sea warning for the storm could be issued tonight, rather than tomorrow, as previously forecast, the CWA said. In terms of its impact, Usagi is to bring scattered or
An orange gas cloud that leaked from a waste management plant yesterday morning in Taoyuan’s Guanyin District (觀音) was likely caused by acidic waste, authorities said, adding that it posed no immediate harm. The leak occurred at a plant in the district’s Environmental Science and Technology Park at about 7am, the Taoyuan Fire Department said. Firefighters discovered a cloud of unidentified orange gas leaking from a waste tank when they arrived on the site, it said, adding that they put on Level A chemical protection before entering the building. After finding there was no continuous leak, the department worked with the city’s Department
RSS