The family of a 22-year-old Singaporean woman is seeking the assistance of witnesses following her apparent drowning off the coast of Hualien, Taiwan.
Amelia Moo Wen Si’s parents are still mourning her loss, even though it has been over a month since she was discovered on May 7, 2023, and repatriated to Singapore on May 11, 2023.
In their daily visits to her resting place, her parents bring her favorite foods, such as lei cha and sushi, hoping that the circumstances surrounding her tragic death will one day be revealed.
Amelia Moo, a law undergraduate at Singapore Management University, had just completed her final year examinations before her untimely demise.
According to her father’s account to Shin Min Daily News, she traveled to Taiwan from April 28 to May 8, 2023. Despite it being her first time visiting Taitung, he wasn’t concerned as she had previously been to other parts of the island, including Taipei and Tainan.
Suspicion arose on the evening of May 7, 2023, when Amelia didn’t respond to her father’s messages. The last known contact with her was her attempt to call a friend through Telegram messenger at 8:17 pm. However, the friend missed the call and was unable to reach her when they tried to call back around 9 pm.
Alarmed by the lack of communication, Amelia Moo’s father contacted the Taiwan police after 24 hours and sought assistance from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Singapore Trade Office in Taipei. He also contacted her hotel, where he discovered that she hadn’t checked out.
Body found floating off the coast
On the afternoon of May 8, 2023, Taiwanese media CTi News reported that Amelia Moo was found floating off the coast of Hualien. At that time, her identity had not yet been confirmed.
Amelia Moo’s father deemed it “impossible” that she had thoughts of taking her own life. Preliminary investigations revealed no signs of physical assault, and local police ruled out foul play.
Determined to uncover clues, her father conducted his own investigation while in Taiwan. He discovered CCTV footage showing her near the beach close to her hotel at approximately 6:05 pm. She was seen walking alone while around 10 other individuals were present on the beach.
During his visit to the beach, he noticed the presence of numerous stray dogs. Considering Amelia’s fear of dogs, her father surmised that she may have been pursued by them, leading to a loss of footing and her subsequent fall into the sea.
Childhood dream of becoming a lawyer
Amelia Moo had aspired to become a lawyer since childhood, and she was on the brink of realizing her dream. With a place secured at a law firm, she only needed to pass the bar exam. Her father had intended to celebrate her upcoming birthday by arranging a yacht outing.
In conclusion, the family of Amelia Moo is appealing for witnesses to shed light on the circumstances surrounding her tragic drowning in Taiwan.
They firmly believe that her death was not a result of self-harm and suspect that she may have been chased by dogs, leading to her fatal accident. Amelia’s untimely demise cut short her aspirations of becoming a lawyer, leaving her family to cope with the profound loss of a bright future.