In Vietnam, 2 arrested for robbing disabled woman who purportedly committed suicide later

The two suspects are Nguyen Tien Dat, a 26-year-old resident in Tay Ninh, and Thi Truc, 32, originally from An Giang Province, southern Vietnam.

Dat was arrested on Wednesday, while Truc had been apprehended earlier.

On the afternoon of September 21, Dat asked Truc to commit theft to get money for personal expenses.

While passing by a stall where T., a disabled woman, was selling vegetables and meat in front of her house in Long An Ward, Tay Ninh Province, they noticed her phone placed on the stall.

Dat suggested snatching the phone, and Truc agreed.

At 5:47 pm the same day, Dat drove Truc to the stall pretending to buy one kilogram of guava. Seeing that T. was disabled and unable to resist, Truc grabbed the phone, then they fled.

Dat later sold the phone for VND300,000 (US$11.4), bought Truc a bottle of soda and a phone card, and the two rented a room for the night.

On the morning of September 22, Dat persuaded Truc to go out and steal again, but she refused. The two then parted ways.

At around 9:00 am the same day, T.'s family found her dead in her bedroom in what was believed to be a suicide.

Due to her disabilities and severe tuberculosis, the family proceeded with funeral arrangements and did not report the incident until the afternoon of September 23.

A video clip was then posted on social media, claiming that T. had died of grief after losing her phone, drawing significant public attention.

After receiving the report, police in Long An Ward identified the suspects and brought Truc in for questioning.

Authorities confirmed that T. had suffered from polio since childhood and had been medically assessed as severely mentally impaired and physically disabled, unable to care for herself. 

She lived with her mother at the location where she sold the produce.