Woman detained in alleged 'mercy killing' of bedridden sister in Tainan

Tainan, May 1 (CNA) An 84-year-old Tainan woman has been detained by prosecutors for allegedly killing her 92-year-old bedridden sister, in what police described as a tragic case involving assisted dying.

According to the Second Precinct of the Tainan City Police Department, the younger sister is suspected of using a kitchen knife and a fruit knife to slash her elder sister's neck, causing fatal blood loss.

Officers were dispatched to the sisters' apartment in West Central District after receiving a report at around 1 a.m. on Wednesday.

The sisters, surnamed Yeh (葉), had been living together and relying on each other, police said. The elder sister had been bedridden and cared for solely by the suspect.

On Tuesday evening, she reportedly expressed a wish to die due to prolonged suffering and concern over burdening her sibling. The younger sister then allegedly carried out the act before calling police to turn herself in.

The suspect was referred to prosecutors on suspicion of murder. After questioning, prosecutors sought her detention, which was approved by the Tainan District Court on Thursday.

Tainan City Health Bureau said Friday it had conducted an in-home visit to the elder sister on Tuesday.

Officials assessed that she was unable to perform daily activities such as moving around, bathing and eating without assistance, and classified her as Level 7 under the Case-Mix System, indicating the highest level of long-term care needed.

The bureau said it had begun planning follow-up long-term care services and activated an intervention mechanism. However, at the time, the younger sister preferred to first arrange hospitalization and hire a caregiver to assist with care, with plans to transition to institutional respite care services after discharge.