Mystery over webcam attack death
Source: Agencies |
April 21, 2011, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
Canadian police say they still don't know what caused the death of a student from Beijing last seen alive on a webcam by her boyfriend in China, who witnessed her struggling with a man before the camera was abruptly shut off.
Liu Jianhui, the father of 23-year-old York University student Liu Qian, said his daughter's boyfriend Meng Xianchao witnessed the attack on the webcam.
"She was our only child," said Liu, research director of Communist Party history at the Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC. He was on his way to Toronto yesterday.
Police said his daughter's body was found last Friday in her apartment in Toronto a few hours after her boyfriend witnessed the attack. She was naked from the waist down but there were no obvious signs of sexual assault or trauma that would have led to her death, police said.
An autopsy failed to determine the cause of death and it could be weeks before the results of toxicology tests are known, Detective Sergeant Frank Skubic said. He said the death had yet to be classified officially as a homicide, though police were investigating it as such.
Liu was chatting with her boyfriend via webcam at about 1am on Friday when a man knocked on the door, police said.
Meng reported seeing a struggle break out between the two before Liu's webcam was shut off. The boyfriend contacted friends in Toronto who called police.
Met boyfriend
Liu Jianhui said his daughter studied at Beijing City University before going to Canada where she met her classmate and boyfriend Meng.
"She was interested in media and wanted to study for an MA in it. She already applied for several universities in Toronto and elsewhere including the University of Windsor," Liu Jianhui said.
"After hearing the news about Liu Qian, our family and friends were all very worried.
"But we were praying for the possibility that the victim was a different person with the same name ... soon we found that we could no longer reach my daughter.
"Then the Canadian police made it quite clear that it was indeed my daughter."
Liu Qian's laptop computer, webcam and mobile phone are missing, Skubic said. He said the online chat was a live stream and was not recorded, though investigators were trying to figure out if there was any way they could recover it.
Meng told police the attacker appeared to be in his 20s with a muscular build.
Skubic said it was not clear if Liu knew her attacker. He said a former roommate was interviewed as a person of interest, but declined to call the man a suspect.
"Our entire community mourns the loss of a promising young student," York University President Mamdouh Shoukri said in a statement.
Fellow student James Gibson, 24, who lives next door to Liu's apartment, said the neighborhood was known for crime.
"I've heard there's been a lot of criminal activity going on around here, a lot of robberies ... but I never thought there would be a death," he said.
Liu Jianhui, the father of 23-year-old York University student Liu Qian, said his daughter's boyfriend Meng Xianchao witnessed the attack on the webcam.
"She was our only child," said Liu, research director of Communist Party history at the Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC. He was on his way to Toronto yesterday.
Police said his daughter's body was found last Friday in her apartment in Toronto a few hours after her boyfriend witnessed the attack. She was naked from the waist down but there were no obvious signs of sexual assault or trauma that would have led to her death, police said.
An autopsy failed to determine the cause of death and it could be weeks before the results of toxicology tests are known, Detective Sergeant Frank Skubic said. He said the death had yet to be classified officially as a homicide, though police were investigating it as such.
Liu was chatting with her boyfriend via webcam at about 1am on Friday when a man knocked on the door, police said.
Meng reported seeing a struggle break out between the two before Liu's webcam was shut off. The boyfriend contacted friends in Toronto who called police.
Met boyfriend
Liu Jianhui said his daughter studied at Beijing City University before going to Canada where she met her classmate and boyfriend Meng.
"She was interested in media and wanted to study for an MA in it. She already applied for several universities in Toronto and elsewhere including the University of Windsor," Liu Jianhui said.
"After hearing the news about Liu Qian, our family and friends were all very worried.
"But we were praying for the possibility that the victim was a different person with the same name ... soon we found that we could no longer reach my daughter.
"Then the Canadian police made it quite clear that it was indeed my daughter."
Liu Qian's laptop computer, webcam and mobile phone are missing, Skubic said. He said the online chat was a live stream and was not recorded, though investigators were trying to figure out if there was any way they could recover it.
Meng told police the attacker appeared to be in his 20s with a muscular build.
Skubic said it was not clear if Liu knew her attacker. He said a former roommate was interviewed as a person of interest, but declined to call the man a suspect.
"Our entire community mourns the loss of a promising young student," York University President Mamdouh Shoukri said in a statement.
Fellow student James Gibson, 24, who lives next door to Liu's apartment, said the neighborhood was known for crime.
"I've heard there's been a lot of criminal activity going on around here, a lot of robberies ... but I never thought there would be a death," he said.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
