Hong Kong’s welfare minister has defended what he called the “professional judgement” of medical and social workers following the death of a girl shortly after her mother’s. Bouquets were laid at Taikoo Shing on June 11, 2026, where a mother and a girl fell to their deaths hours apart one day earlier. Photo: Supplied. Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun spoke to reporters on Thursday following a double tragedy involving a 12-year-old girl and her 48-year-old mother, who both fell to their deaths within hours of each other on Wednesday in Taikoo Shing.
“The daughter went to the hospital accompanied by her family” after her mother’s death, Sun said in Cantonese. “At the hospital, doctors, nurses and social workers met with her, and they had to make a judgement. I understand that they decided [the girl] could go home.” [Table]
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[/Table] Sun said it was understandable that there were concerns about whether it was suitable to allow the girl to return home.
The daughter was accompanied by family members when she was assessed at the hospital and returned home, Sun added.
“I believe the doctors, nurses and social workers had made the decision [to let her go home] at that time based on their professional judgement.” He said he refrained from commenting further as the police were investigating the double tragedy.
The mother, a social worker with the Social Welfare Department, was found dead on the podium of their residential block around 9.24am after she reportedly had an argument with her daughter about “educational issues,” according to local media.
At 7.21pm, roughly 10 hours later, police were notified of the fall of the daughter at the same address. The girl was certified dead at the scene. Bouquets were laid at Taikoo Shing on June 11, 2026, where a mother and a girl fell to their deaths hours apart one day earlier. Photo: Supplied. Sun urged people to give the family space and respect their privacy at the moment of tragedy, saying that authorities sought to provide immediate support to the father and other family members.
Edward To, director of social welfare, said at the same press conference that government social workers had visited the father following the incident.
Bouquets were seen at the scene at Taikoo Shing following the tragedy, as residents paid tribute to the mother and daughter.