Editorial | Abandoned boy raises Hong Kong cross-border issues
- Better arrangements must be made for children born in Hong Kong to non-permanent residents from the mainland after mother leaves 12-year-old son alone in city, apparently so he could get a better education
It is hard not to feel sorry for 12-year-old Chen Healton, who was abandoned by his mainland mother in Hong Kong last week, apparently in the hope that he would receive a better education in the city where he was born. The case has understandably renewed concerns about children with mainland parents who are both non-permanent residents.
It also underscores wider cross-border issues that warrant deeper reflection from authorities on both sides.
The boy was found wandering in Kwong Wah Hospital in Yau Ma Tei last Friday. An investigation showed the mother and son had crossed the border via the high-speed railway on July 18.
The mother later took the boy to the hospital and left him there. She had apparently told her son to explain to hospital staff that he was abandoned by his mother there, according to a police source.
Child abandonment involves complex issues. While it is no doubt unacceptable and unlawful, it is often a difficult decision for parents to make.
Without knowing more about the boy’s family background, it is hard to pass any judgment at this stage. But it seems intriguing if better education was the sole reason.
