In Taiwan’s Taichung City West District, a 31-year-old mother allegedly fed her 8-year-old and 3-year-old sons unknown medication due to emotional instability. At 1:30 a.m. on the 31st, police and emergency responders rushed to the scene after receiving a report; the two children had already lost consciousness and were sent to the hospital for emergency treatment but did not survive. The woman, who was extremely emotional, was sent to the hospital by police for protective custody.
Forensic expert Kao Ta-cheng said that most modern sleeping pills have been improved so much that even if an adult takes an overdose, they usually will not die. However, if a child with immature organs takes such medications, it can cause gradual failure of the liver and kidneys; the child may suffer for at least 2 hours before dying.
According to the police investigation, the mother had called a friend to ask for help, saying she “couldn’t go on” and had suicidal thoughts. The call was filled with negative emotions. The friend immediately went to her residence and found that the two boys were no longer breathing or had heartbeats, then called the police and dialed 119.
When emergency personnel arrived, they found the two boys lying on a bed with purple lips, foaming at the mouth, jaws tightly shut, and showing no vital signs. They were sent to Lin Shin Hospital and China Medical University Hospital for emergency care but could not be saved. The mother, due to intense agitation and displaying aggressive tendencies, was subdued by the police, her four limbs restrained, and then sent to China Medical University Hospital for mandatory treatment and observation.
Kao Ta-cheng commented that fifth-generation sleeping pills have been greatly improved today, with a large gap between the therapeutic and lethal doses. Unlike in the past, where a minor overdose could be fatal, nowadays even if adults “overindulge” in sleeping pills, it generally does not lead to death.
Kao explained that for children with undeveloped organs, taking sleeping pills is a torment; if a child ingests a large quantity, while death may not be immediate, it can lead to gradual liver and kidney failure, and take at least 2 hours for death to occur. Judging by the two boys’ purple lips and tightly clenched jaws, it is suspected that central nervous system-related medications were ingested, causing hypoxia. It is also possible that multiple medications were mixed in. The exact cause of death will await follow-up blood tests and autopsy results.
It is understood that the mother is unemployed and usually looks after her children at home. She currently lives in a rental apartment in the West District with her current boyfriend and two sons. The fathers of the 8-year-old and 3-year-old sons are her ex-boyfriend and current boyfriend, respectively. Recently, the mother allegedly broke up with her boyfriend, and combined with her own existing illness, unstable mental condition, and ongoing medication use, suicidal thoughts reportedly emerged late at night, when she allegedly fed her two sons unknown medication. (News Source: CTWANT)