It's devastating for parents to get the news that their children are sick. It's even worse if they have a condition that will drastically change their way of life. That might be what led Florida father Kenbian Ng to shoot his 11-year-old daughter, Angela, before turning the gun on himself in a murder-suicide.
The victims were identified at the Broward Medical Examiner's Office on Tuesday. The two of them were close, but an upsetting diagnosis may have led Kenbian to take such drastic, permanent measures. Angela was a big fan of both martial arts and dance. However, she was diagnosed with terminal cancer in her femur. The operation would cause her to lose her leg. The amputation was already scheduled.
This may have been a breaking point for Kenbian, after realizing his only daughter wouldn't be able to naturally proceed with her passions. Angela was currently going through chemotherapy, which must have been hard for him to process.
According to the Sun-Sentinel, the incident reportedly happened at 9 a.m. on Monday. While her mom was making breakfast downstairs, she had no clue that the blast she heard would forever change her life.
The incident happened at the family's home, located in the 14600 block of Southwest 18th Court in Davie, Florida. While shocking, Davie police spokesman Lt. Mark Leone commented that the situation itself was extremely upsetting. "She was not going to get any better," he said. "It is such a tragic situation, a terrible situation."
The loss of both her husband and only child was devastating for Angela's mother. "It is devastating," continued the lieutenant. "It's a lose-lose situation." Prior to the diagnosis, it looked as if Angela had a rich life filled with so much love.
Howeber, Kenbian took the diagnosis hard. The amputation was scheduled to occur on his 27th anniversary with his wife. In his mind, he may have been trying to have his daughter avoid further pain, but then knew he couldn't live with what he did. It's upsetting to think about his mindset that led to these deadly actions.
Miriam Casanova, whose husband, Jorge, is Angela's mother's cousin, also spoke out about the incident. She said that she wanted to check in with the family more, but she admitted that Kenbian was always distraught and upset on the phone. They didn't want to make the situation harder.
"He couldn't talk," Miriam recalled. "He just cried." While it may have been hard, it's definitely important to keep tabs on loved ones when something so life-changing occurs. For a situation like this, it may have been hard for Kenbian to get the response he'd have been looking for. The diagnosis turned his entire life upside down.
The news of the murder-suicide was also tough on the neighbors. "I heard the mother come right through my yard," neighbor Charlene Wells said to WSVN. "They picked her up, put her in the car, and she screamed a noise like I knew I've heard before."
Charlene, unfortunately, knows the pain that her neighbor is feeling all too well. "Being the mother of a child that was killed in a car accident and how painful it is, I can imagine what they're going through now," she continued. "It's awful. I feel bad for her. I really do."
The family told some of the neighbors that Angela was sick, but they didn't go into complete detail. "She said she's been very sick," said Thelma Napolitano. She and her husband lived across the street from the family. "She said something happened to Angela. She's in the hospital, and I don't know when she's coming home."
Thelma and husband George watched Angela grow up, so the news was even more of a shock. "I used to give her all my books, so I saw her since she was a baby," said Thelma. It seems like the Ng family was very well known in their neighborhood and had a lot of general support.
George also added that Kenbian was a great person. "He was a gentleman, and to us, it's been a terrible shock," he said. He recalled that Kenbian always checked on the neighbors in case of bad weather, to make sure everyone was doing OK.
Scott Eliason, a psychologist practicing at the Idaho Department of Corrections, told the Sun-Sentinel that this case was especially unusual. "It's almost like a lightning strike," he said. "Usually these things are impossible to predict and even if someone has every possible risk factor you can think of for violence or suicide, in the vast majority of cases, they don't do this."
He added that depression could have played a big role in Kenbian's decision to kill his daughter. "Sometimes you get what's called caregiver burnout where you have a caregiver taking care of a terminally ill person and that stress leads to some kind of depression," he added. If Angela's situation was going to continue getting worse, Kenbian would have likely had to provide even more special care for her.
The situation must be a nightmare for Kenbian's wife. In one morning, she lost everything.
If you or a loved one is feeling depressed, and thinking about taking drastic steps, it's important to talk to professionals, as well as loved ones. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available all hours of the day, at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
While Angela led a short life, it was definitely filled with so many incredible memories. Loved ones recalled that she was always happy and active. And, according to social media, she was able to see so many parts of the world during her 11 years.
