(UPDATED)
A Hong Kong-based domestic helper from Cagayan plunged to
her death on July 24 from a residential tower in Shenzhen, two days after she
crossed the border to join her employers on a holiday there, the maid’s kin
said.
A sister and an aunt of
L. Asuncion both told The SUN that the victim traveled to China on July 22 to join her employers’ family,
who had left her alone for a week in Hong Kong .
The two were scheduled to travel to Shenzhen today, July 31,
to identify Asuncion ’s
remains.
The Consulate in Hong Kong said its counterpart in Guangzhou had taken over
the case and was investigating.
Townmates of the victim were shocked to hear the tragic news
of Asuncion ’s
death on the evening of July 26.
“I can’t believe it. I know her very well because she was a
sister of my friend and classmate in high school,” said one of her townmates
who works in Hong Kong .
The sister said the 28-year-old victim was single and had
been working for her employers for only nine months. She had worked for another
Hong Kong family previously but her contract
was terminated after 10 months.
She said she could not believe that her sister would take
her own life.
“Why did she have to go to China Hong Kong to use up her seven-day vacation leave,” the sister
said.
On July 21, Asuncion
reportedly messaged her sister about her coming trip to China
She also told her mother she desperately wanted to break
contract and go back home, but was advised to be patient and stay put, as life was hard in the Philippines
This was not the first time the victim was taken across
the border by her employer. On Dec 24 last year, she traveled to China
“Ready to go.... God guide
our trip with my employers together with their kids,” she wrote in her post.
But her mood visibly changed
afterwards.
On Feb 5 this year, she replied to a friend’s
comment welcoming her back: “Slmat…heheheheheh letcheng 
