Mother Jailed for Life in Vietnam for Murdering Son for Insurance Money

A court in Vietnam's central city of Da Nang has sentenced a 45-year-old woman to life imprisonment for the murder of her five-year-old son. To Thị Ty Na was found guilty of orchestrating her son's death to fraudulently claim over 4.1 billion dong (approximately S$192,550) in life insurance. The court handed down a life sentence for murder and an additional six years for insurance business fraud.

Initially, authorities were informed that the boy, N.V.H., had drowned accidentally in a bathroom bucket. However, the child's paternal aunt, Nguyen Thị Bich Tam, alerted investigators to her suspicions. Tam had reviewed security footage, which showed Na deliberately redirecting a camera before the incident. Crucially, she also recalled that another of Na's children had died in similar circumstances in 2021, after which Na had received a significant insurance payout.

These striking similarities prompted a full police investigation. Investigators determined that only Na and her son were present in the house at the time of the death. Forensic evidence further contradicted the accidental drowning claim. The boy, who was 124cm tall, was found in a bucket only 63cm high. While he had no prior injuries, a post-mortem revealed bruises and marks indicating a struggle. Prosecutors concluded that Na intentionally drowned her son, then staged the scene to appear accidental.

Court documents revealed that Na had a history of financial struggles, particularly after her husband's death in 2020. She had sold the family home and subsequently purchased seven life insurance policies for her four children. The prosecution argued that she deliberately drowned her son, calling him into the bathroom before forcing his head into the bucket. She then meticulously staged the scene, even using a hairdryer to dry her hair and clothes before pretending to be asleep.