Huynh Thanh Tan, 34, is returning to his hometown in Quang Ngai province from Ho Chi Minh City and is prepared to face legal consequences for repeatedly hitting his 30-year-old sister, Huynh Kim Tuyen, with a chair at her rented accommodation in Nghia Lo ward. The incident, which took place between 10 p.m. on June 18 and 3 a.m. on June 19, was recorded and posted online by Tuyen. The video garnered hundreds of thousands of views and comments, mostly condemning Tan's actions. The video shows their 56-year-old mother and Tan's other brother present at Tuyen's room, attempting to persuade her to return to the family home. During the conversation, Tan repeatedly verbally abused his sister.

The situation escalated when Tan asked, "Are you sure your choices will bring you happiness?" When Tuyen replied, "I'm sure," Tan abruptly stood up, grabbed a plastic chair, and struck her 3 times on the head, repeating "happiness" with each blow.

Tan hitting his sister with a plastic chair. Image taken from the video. (Author or source of the image, if known)

Tan hitting his sister with a plastic chair. Image taken from the video. (Author or source of the image, if known)

Tuyen is the youngest sibling in a family with two older brothers, Tan being the eldest. She married 8 years ago but separated from her husband 4 years later due to incompatibility. During this time, she lived about 20 km from her family home and borrowed hundreds of millions of dong from them for a business venture that ultimately failed. In 2024, Tuyen became pregnant by a new partner but kept it hidden from her family. Earlier this year, she gave birth, but the child's father refused to acknowledge paternity, leading Tuyen to give the baby up for adoption to a couple struggling with infertility. Following these events, her parents and brothers urged her to reconcile with her husband, who was willing to forgive her. However, she chose to return to her former partner and now wants to reclaim her child.

According to Tan, Tuyen's lifestyle has caused significant distress to their family, particularly their mother. He left his job in Ho Chi Minh City to try and convince Tuyen to either reconcile with her husband, formally divorce and return to live with their parents, or find a new partner. However, Tuyen either argued or remained silent when confronted about her choices. "I hit her out of sheer frustration," Tan explained, admitting that he now recognizes his actions were wrong and understands the public outrage. In the video, their mother only intervenes once before resuming her position on a hammock while Tan continues to hit Tuyen. Tan explained that his mother has faced considerable online criticism, but people "don't know how much she loves her daughter." He added, "She's also endured gossip in our hometown because of my sister's lifestyle. She worries constantly about her daughter and has become distraught."

Tuyen posted the video of the assault online. (Author or source of the video, if known)

Tuyen confirmed the details of her personal life shared by Tan, stating that her husband "is a very good man," but they are simply incompatible. She believes she has only wronged her husband, not her family. She maintains that Tan's assault was "unacceptable" and continues to haunt her. She sustained hand injuries and required hospitalization. "I want the law to address the assault, and I want my child back," she said.

Tan responded, "I'm ready to face legal consequences. I just want my sister to change her life for the better. As for the baby, she gave the child away, so she needs to figure out how to get the child back." The Nghia Lo ward police are currently investigating the incident, interviewing Tuyen and other involved parties.

Pham Linh