Hong Kong police investigate possible foul play in death of 61-year-old woman

Hong Kong police are investigating whether foul play was involved in the death of a 61-year-old woman who was found unconscious in a village house. She succumbed to her injuries in hospital.

At around 11.55pm on Tuesday, rescue workers were called to San Wai Tsai village in Tai Po after her 65-year-old boyfriend reported to police that she had collapsed in the house.

“The woman was taken unconscious to Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital [in Tai Po]where she was pronounced dead shortly before 0.30 a.m. [on Wednesday],” a police spokesman said, adding that burnt charcoal was found at the site.

A source familiar with the case said the woman was found unconscious in a bedroom when her boyfriend returned home from work.

The insider added that there have been no reports of domestic disputes or violence between the two in the past.

The source said that criminal investigation officers had been assigned to investigate as the amount of charcoal burned may not have been enough to cause a death.

Some reddish spots were found on the woman's head, he added, noting that these could be signs of livor mortis.

An autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death and detectives from the New Territories North Regional Criminal Investigation Department are investigating the case.