The Correctional Services Department said on Monday that a committee will review a case whereby a person in custody attempted to commit suicide by hanging.
The case involved a 28-year-old male at Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre, remanded on charges of rape. He was prevented from acting by correctional officers.
“At 8.01am today, a correctional officer found the person in custody hanging with bed sheet tied to the window frame inside the toilet of a dayroom. The officer immediately called for reinforcements and provided first aid treatment to him,” a press release said.
“The person in custody was found unconscious at that moment and was subsequently sent to a public hospital for further treatment. The case has been reported to the Police.”
A spokesman for the department said: “The department uses all possible measures to prevent people in its custody from attempting suicide or self-harm. These measures include administrative arrangements, the improvement of institution facilities, staff training and first aid services.”
The department told HKFP that a committee led by a senior superintendent of correctional services will review the incident. It said it will not comment on individual cases since the incident has been transferred to the police for investigation.
Tuen Mun case
The public broadcaster RTHK cited sources as saying that the man was the suspect detained in a case last month, in which a 30-year-old woman living alone at Po Tin Estate in Tuen Mun was followed by a man and raped at her flat.
The police arrested a 28-year-old man in Mong Kok in mid-June, and he was detained at the Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre awaiting trial.
In May, a 48-year-old man accused of robbing and raping a woman in Kowloon Bay hanged himself at the Sau Mau Ping police station. Apple Daily cited sources as saying that the suspect used a computer network cable from a desk.
The police chief has said that the force has arranged officers from another region to investigate the suicide.
If you are experiencing negative feelings, please call: The Samaritans 2896 0000 (24-hour, multilingual), Suicide Prevention Centre 2382 0000 or the Social Welfare Department 2343 2255. The Hong Kong Society of Counseling and Psychology provides a WhatsApp hotline in English and Chinese: 6218 1084. See also: HKFP’s comprehensive guide to mental health services in Hong Kong
