Jackie Chan's love child Etta on her mum's child abuse arrest: 'I want to get help for her'

Jackie Chan's love child Etta on her mum's child abuse arrest: 'I want to get help for her'

HONG KONG - Actor Jackie Chan's illegitimate daughter Etta Ng said she decided to have her mother reported to the police for alleged child abuse because she was concerned about her drinking problem.

The 15-year-old's teary interview with Ming Pao Weekly was published as radio host Elaine Ng, who had an affair with Chan, said on TV on Saturday: "I've done something wrong that made (Etta) feel unsafe."

Police last Friday said Ng, 42, was arrested on Wednesday after allegedly hitting her daughter on her arm at their home.

Policemen took her away when she turned up at Etta's school to take her home. Her arrest came after Etta told staff at her school about the alleged abuse.

In her interview, the girl said she decided to call in the police to prevent her mum from going downhill.

According to an Apple Daily report on the interview, she said she told the police: "I need to get help for mum because I can't help her."

She said her mother not only smokes a lot but drinks two bottles of alcohol nightly.
 
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The former TVB actress would make herself vomit in order to imbibe more and would cry when drunk, Etta said, claiming to have been pushed in one episode.

Ng once locked herself in the toilet after drinking and would not listen to her advice to quit drinking or get medical help, she added.

The teenager said she believed that if her mum received help, she could begin her life anew, and that she had considered for a long time before making the painful decision to involve the police.

She also said being beaten by her mum was all right as it gave her a reason to get police intervention.

Speaking on i-Cable TV, Ng, who is out on bail, on Saturday admitted to drinking wine as an insomnia aid. On police's revelation that marijuana-like substances were found at her home and sent for analysis, the former Miss Asia said her lawyers were handling the matter.

On Etta, she said, with emotion, "She's worried about my health and the work pressue I face and wanted to get help for me. She knows I love her."

"Mummy will take care of her health," she promised the girl.

She said she was stunned when Etta's teacher told her on Wednesday that the girl had suicidal thoughts.

She said she denied to the police that she had hit Etta. "That so-called assault," she said, as she lightly hit the interviewer's arm, "How hard is that?" She also denied that there was mental abuse. On Weibo later, she wrote: "I didn't hit her, and do not possess drugs."

Etta was sent to hospital but no visible injuries were found on her, it was reported. Mother and child were not allowed to see each other yet and Ng was to report back to the police on May 11.

Etta also spoke about her loneliness saying that for a time she had only a pet cat to confide in at home. She said she pretended to be happy at home as she did not want to trouble her mother.

Meanwhile, Chan's agent responded to a media query about the case, saying, "I don't know anything."


This article was first published on March 15, 2015.
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