Upper Bukit Timah deaths: Father accused of son's murder remanded for psychiatric observation
Xavier Yap Jung Houn was charged last week with the murder of Ethan Yap E Chern.
PHOTO: The Straits Times file
PUBLISHED ONJanuary 31, 2022 6:18 AMByShaffiq Alkhatib
SINGAPORE - The father of the 11-year-old twin boys who were found dead in a canal in Upper Bukit Timah has been remanded for psychiatric observation at the Changi Prison Complex Medical Centre.
Xavier Yap Jung Houn, 48, was charged last week with the murder of Ethan Yap E Chern.
The Singaporean is accused of murdering Ethan at a covered canal at the Greenridge Crescent playground between 4.23pm and 6.25pm on Jan 21.
The police said they had received a call for help at 6.25pm that Friday from Yap who was at the playground.
His sons, Ethan and Aston Yap Kai Shern, were later found lying motionless in the nearby canal. They were pronounced dead at the scene by a paramedic.
Yap was initially expected to appear in a district court on Monday (Jan 31) but the case was brought forward to last Saturday (Jan 29).
His case has been adjourned to Feb 18.
[[nid:564330]]
Yap has not been charged over Aston's death.
The boys are believed to have had special needs and attended a school in the Eng Kong estate area.
Accompanied by a group of police officers, Yap was taken back to the crime scene at around 3pm last Thursday.
He was clad in a red top and walked with his head lowered as he was taken to the canal.
Officers had earlier cordoned off the area around it.
Officers were also seen placing several arrow markers in the area.
One marker was placed at a nearby playground near an exercise machine, one was placed in the canal, while another was placed on the stairs leading down to the canal.
Yap, who had slipped into a pair of knee-high boots, then climbed into the canal with several officers. They walked along the length of the canal.
Yap and the police were in the area for about 35 minutes before leaving in a van.
If convicted of murder, Yap faces the death penalty.
[embed]https://www.facebook.com/asiaonecom/videos/461040165565199/[/embed]
This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.