Bukit Timah canal deaths: Man admits to killing twin sons, believing it'd take away wife's burdens

SINGAPORE — The man accused of killing his twins in 2022 pleaded guilty on Tuesday (Aug 15) to culpable homicide not amounting to murder and admitted he had strangled the boys and submerged their faces in the canal to ensure they were really dead.

He then attempted to kill himself by stabbing himself with an ice pick in his stomach, chest and back. When he was unsuccessful, he used a tree branch and a rock to hit his own head.

Xavier Yap Jung Houn, 49, believed that killing his sons, who were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, would take away his wife's burdens.

He also feared that no one would take care of the boys after he and his wife died, and was worried that they would be bullied by others.

On Jan 21, 2022, Xavier Yap decided to carry out his plan to kill his sons and commit suicide.

He drove the boys to the playground at Greenridge Crescent, which was near his flat at Toh Tuck Road.

The boys played for around 10 minutes before he carried them one by one into a canal near the field.

There, he picked up a stick and pressed it hard against Ethan's neck. When the stick broke, he strangled Ethan by placing his forearm across his neck and pressing down.

Ethan struggled, but he eventually stopped moving. Xavier Yap then placed him on the ground with his face submerged in the water of the canal floor.

Xavier Yap then turned to Aston, who had been standing quietly a few metres away while his brother was being strangled.

The accused then tried to strangle Aston by placing his forearm across his son's neck, but he was not strong enough and both fell to the ground.

While Aston was lying on the ground face up, Xavier strangled him and continued to apply force to his neck until he became motionless.

He also submerged his face into the canal water.

When the facts were read out in court, Xavier Yap stared blankly into space. At times, he looked up and shut his eyes.

The prosecution said the victims were suspected to have autism spectrum disorder since they were two years old. They were formally diagnosed with global developmental delay and autism spectrum disorder in 2017.

While it was recommended that the twins be placed in a special education school, their mother had difficulty accepting her sons' conditions.

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Eventually, the victims enrolled in Primary 1 at age 9 at a mainstream primary school while they were still unable to speak.

The court heard that Xavier Yap had a good relationship with his sons. He did not usually discipline them with physical force and became more involved in their studies after they enrolled in school.

But Xavier Yap became increasing concerned about his sons sometime in 2019 and 2020, and was saddened that his wife was unable to accept their conditions.

The prosecution said that the twins' mother was also getting angry with the boys, thus making him more concerned.

Xavier Yap started to have suicidal thoughts and purchased an ice pick on a whim in December 2021, with the thought of killing himself.

At the start of 2022, Xavier Yap began to harbour serious thoughts of killing his sons and committing suicide after he noticed that his wife was getting frustrated and depressed about the boys' conditions.

He felt like his wife had given up on them and believed that killing them would take away her burdens.

He is represented by Patrick Nai, Choo Si Sen and Choo Yean Lin from Tan Lee & Partners, and Muhammad Razeen Sayed Majunoon from Advance Law.

Those convicted of culpable homicide not amounting to murder can either be jailed for life and caned, or jailed for up to 20 years and fined or caned.

The case is ongoing.

SINGAPORE HELPLINES

• Samaritans of Singapore: 1800-221-4444
• Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019
• Care Corner Counselling Centre (Mandarin): 1800-353-5800
• Institute of Mental Health's Mental Health Helpline: 6389-2222
• Silver Ribbon: 6386-1928

ALSO READ: Greenridge Cres killings: Father of twin boys to plead guilty to culpable homicide not amounting to murder

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