Hong Kong welfare chief pledges more support for carers, after 2 intellectually disabled brothers believed to have starved to death in mother’s absence
- Bodies of intellectually disabled siblings, aged 53 and 55, found in flat; mother had been taking care of them until her hospital admission in May, source says
- Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun says government will strengthen ‘safety net’ for families in need, but one expert says authorities must take action sooner
Hong Kong’s welfare chief has pledged stronger support for carers a day after two middle-aged brothers with intellectual disabilities were believed to have starved to death following their mother’s admittance to hospital.
Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han on Saturday expressed deep sorrow over the incident and said more would be done to improve support services. His comments came amid calls for action over a string of similar deaths involving vulnerable people left to take care of themselves.
“The government hopes to strengthen the [social] safety net for families in need. In doing so, we will launch a carer hotline to provide a one-stop service,” he said.
A source familiar with the case said the deceased brothers received regular medical check-ups until June last year, after which they increasingly depended on their mother’s care as their own abilities to look after themselves deteriorated.
But their mother has been in hospital since May this year, with the brothers left on their own at home.
The insider said an initial examination showed the pair had been dead for some time.