Man charged with daughter's murder

Father, 64, allegedly killed 35-year-old in Bedok flat; no further details given in court

Tan Tian Chye (left) lived in an eighth-floor unit at Block 171 Bedok South Road, where his daughter was found. Police later cordoned off a staircase landing on the ninth floor.
Tan Tian Chye (above) lived in an eighth-floor unit at Block 171 Bedok South Road, where his daughter was found. Police later cordoned off a staircase landing on the ninth floor. ST PHOTOS: WONG KWAI CHOW, HARIZ BAHARUDIN
Tan Tian Chye (left) lived in an eighth-floor unit at Block 171 Bedok South Road, where his daughter was found. Police later cordoned off a staircase landing on the ninth floor.
Tan Tian Chye lived in an eighth-floor unit at Block 171 Bedok South Road, where his daughter was found. Police later cordoned off a staircase landing on the ninth floor. ST PHOTOS: WONG KWAI CHOW, HARIZ BAHARUDIN

A man who allegedly killed his adult daughter in his Housing Board flat in Bedok was taken to court yesterday.

Tan Tian Chye, 64, was charged with murdering Ms Desiree Tan Jiaping, 35, in an eighth-storey unit at Block 171 Bedok South Road.

Court documents did not disclose details of her injuries or if a weapon was used to kill her. The motive behind the alleged murder was also not revealed in court yesterday.

In a statement, the police said they had received a call about the incident at around 3.40pm on Monday.

When officers arrived at the unit, they found Ms Tan lying motionless inside the flat.

She was pronounced dead at around 4.20pm by Singapore Civil Defence Force paramedics.

Police later cordoned off a staircase landing at the ninth storey of the block but it is unclear if anything incriminating was found.

Officers were still at the block at around 7pm on Monday, a neighbour, who wanted to be known only as Mrs Ng, told The New Paper.

The 52-year-old administrative assistant said Tan was a private-hire car driver who lived in the flat with his wife, a tutor.

On the day of the incident, Mrs Ng said she saw Tan's wife looking distressed at the foot of the block.

She also spotted at least five police cars, a police van and an ambulance in the vicinity.

While the neighbours were not close, Mrs Ng told TNP that she would greet the family whenever they met. She said in Mandarin: "Usually, he is cheerful and would always tease my daughter."

In court yesterday, Tan stared at the floor as a Mandarin interpreter read out the charge to him.

He is now remanded at Changi Prison Complex Medical Centre for a psychiatric evaluation.

The case has been adjourned to Dec 10.

If convicted of murder, he faces the death penalty.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on November 21, 2018, with the headline Man charged with daughter's murder. Subscribe