Mother sentenced to 16.5 years for drowning daughters after family dispute

A Chinese national living in Taiwan has been sentenced to 16 years and six months in prison for the tragic drowning of her two young daughters. The woman, identified by the surname Jian, committed the act after a dispute with her mother-in-law, according to reports.

Jian, who had moved to Taiwan with her two daughters after facing business and legal troubles in China, reportedly got into an argument with her mother-in-law on July 2, 2024. Her husband's refusal to move out of his parents' home exacerbated the situation. Later that day, Jian took her 10-year-old and 8-year-old daughters to Bitan, a scenic area, where she allegedly lured them into deep water under the pretense of taking photos and then let them go, watching them drown.

She then reportedly jumped into the water herself before coming ashore and wandering until evening, when she turned herself in to the police. Authorities recovered the bodies of the two girls that night. Jian was taken into custody and has remained detained.

The Taipei District Court initially sentenced Jian to 16 years and six months, considering factors such as her confession, her blindness in her left eye, and her mental health condition. She had reportedly apologized to her daughters in court and expressed a willingness to work and reintegrate into society. Prosecutors appealed the sentence, arguing it was too lenient. However, the High Court upheld the original sentence, dismissing the appeal.

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I tried very hard to do as my in-laws said.