On 23/6, Dong Nai police investigated the discovery of skeletal remains in a rooftop water tank at the home of 64-year-old Le Thi Ha in Long Binh Tan ward, Bien Hoa City. They interviewed several individuals connected to the case.
Ha’s family purchased the two-story house 7 years ago. During renovations, they installed a 1,000-liter stainless steel water tank on the roof to store well water. However, they switched to city water 4 years ago and stopped using the tank. Ha’s adult children have since moved out, leaving her and her husband as the sole occupants.
"My husband is often ill. Two years ago, we stayed in the hospital for a month, leaving the house empty. We'd occasionally return home before going back to the hospital", Ha explained.
Ha sells banh tet (sticky rice cake) at the market daily, while her husband, due to his illness, uses a wheelchair. Recently, noticing her husband's declining mobility, Ha hired a neighbor, 62-year-old Tran Ngoc An, to renovate the floor to facilitate his movement.
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The water tank where the remains were found. Photo: Thai Ha |
An began the renovations on 21/6 and finished on 22/6. That afternoon, Ha asked him to remove the unused water tank from the roof and place it on the first-floor balcony. While inspecting the tank, An discovered the skeletal remains and informed Ha.
"I was shocked and scared when he told me about the bones. I thought he must be mistaken and asked him to check again", Ha said. However, An was certain, prompting Ha to report the discovery to the local police.
Ha expressed surprise and denied any knowledge of the remains’ origin or any missing persons in her neighborhood. "I just hope the authorities can quickly resolve this so the deceased can rest in peace", she stated.
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Police investigate the scene at Ha's home on the evening of 22/6. Photo: Thai Ha |
A day after the discovery, An admitted he was still shaken. He was removing the tank around 3 PM under the hot sun. The tank's lid was open, revealing a small amount of water and the remains. Startled, he immediately climbed down to alert Ha.
During the scene examination, police found a wallet near the tank containing a vehicle registration from Long An province belonging to a 49-year-old man, two ATM cards (one male and one female), and other documents.
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities have not released any official statements.
Phuoc Tuan
