15-8-2023 (SINGAPORE) A heart-wrenching case has unfolded in Singapore as Xavier Yap Jung Houn, a 50-year-old man, has admitted to the tragic killing of his 11-year-old twin sons in January 2022. The shocking incident sent shockwaves through the nation, revealing a harrowing tale of desperation and despair. Yap pleaded guilty on Tuesday (August 15) to two charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder for strangling his sons, Yap Kai Shern Aston and Yap E Chern Ethan, near a playground in the Upper Bukit Timah region.
Yap’s heartrending confession unveiled a deeply troubling motive behind the act. He claimed that he believed his wife had forsaken their twin sons, both of whom were autistic. He felt that ending their lives would alleviate his wife’s burdens. Moreover, Yap expressed concern that his sons, burdened with autism, would face bullying and a lack of care after he and his wife were gone.
Originally charged with murder, Yap’s charges were downgraded to culpable homicide due to the revelation that he suffered from major depressive disorder of moderate severity around the time of the tragic incident.
Background of the Tragedy
The court heard that Yap lived with his twin sons and his wife, who employed a domestic helper to assist in caring for the boys. The couple suspected the boys had autism spectrum disorder since they were two years old, and their formal diagnosis was confirmed in May 2017, revealing global development delay and autism spectrum disorder.
While the twins were recommended for placement in a special education school, their mother struggled to come to terms with their condition. In 2019, the boys were enrolled in Primary 1 at a mainstream primary school despite being non-verbal. Due to their learning challenges, their mother or maid would accompany them to classes. Consequently, if their mother was unavailable, one of the twins would not attend school.
Yap maintained a strong bond with his sons, actively participating in their lives without resorting to physical discipline. However, he became increasingly anxious about his sons’ situation around 2019 or 2020, as he noted his wife’s inability to accept their conditions.
The Tragic Events Unfold
As Yap’s concern grew, he began experiencing suicidal thoughts and acquired an ice pick on impulse. The turning point came in early 2022 when he started considering the idea of killing his sons and committing suicide. His wife’s depression and frustration mounted as the boys faced an assessment regarding their suitability to continue attending their mainstream primary school.
Believing his wife had given up on their sons, Yap decided to carry out his tragic plan. On January 21, 2022, around 4:45 pm, Yap drove his sons to a nearby playground with an ice pick in tow. After around 10 minutes of play, he led them to an open field near the playground and, one by one, carried them into a nearby canal.
Yap strangled Ethan, pressing a stick against his neck and submerging his face in the water. He repeated this horrifying act with Aston, who watched quietly. Yap’s own suicide attempts were unsuccessful; he tried to harm himself with an ice pick, a tree branch, and a rock. In a desperate bid, he attempted to stage the scene as if he had been attacked. Yap believed that this ruse would absolve him of remorse, leading to a death penalty conviction.
After manipulating the scene and making misleading calls to the police, Yap admitted to his crimes. Autopsies confirmed that the boys had died from strangulation.
Yap’s Mental Health and Legal Implications
An assessment revealed that Yap was suffering from major depressive disorder during the time of the offences, with symptoms persisting for three years, intensifying in the months before the tragic incident. His condition impaired his judgment of the nature and wrongfulness of his actions, qualifying him for the partial defence of diminished responsibility.
Although he acknowledged the wrongfulness of his actions, Yap was tormented by his sons’ future prospects and believed that ending their lives would alleviate their suffering. He hoped that by taking their lives and his own, his wife and her daughter from a previous marriage could move forward.
Culpable homicide not amounting to murder carries the possibility of life imprisonment and caning, or up to 20 years’ jail and a fine or caning. If the act was executed without the intention to cause death, the offender could face up to 15 years’ jail, a fine, caning, or a combination of these penalties. This tragic case highlights the complex interplay between mental health, family dynamics, and the legal consequences of such actions.
