Xavier Yap Jung Houn is a man from Singapore who was given a 14-year prison sentence after murdering his 11-year-old twin boys, Aston Yap Kai Shern and Ethan Yap E Chern, by a canal close to a play area in Greenridge Crescent on Jan. 21, 2022.
He accepted responsibility for two counts of culpable homicide without rising to the level of murder after his original murder indictments were lowered due to his mental state.
Who is Xavier Yap Jung Houn?
Xavier Yap Jung Houn, born in 1973, was a senior engineer for a large business enterprise. He tied the knot with Anna (fake name) in 2007 and the couple was blessed with twins in 2011.
In 2017, the twins were identified as having autism spectrum disorder and global developmental delay, which made it difficult for them to express themselves and grasp concepts. When they were nine years old, they enrolled in a regular primary school, yet they were unable to manage the academic requirements and socialize properly.
Xavier Yap was very close to his sons and made an effort to be involved in their education after they started school. He was not one to resort to physical punishment and was understanding and tolerant of any special requirements they had.
He was growing more and more anxious about what would happen to them when he and his wife passed away, feeling that no one would look out for them, and worrying that they would be mistreated by others.
Xavier Yap’s mental state gradually declined as his major depressive disorder worsened due to his wife’s treatment of their sons and her alleged infidelity.
He asserted that she refused to accept their sons’ afflictions and had extremely high expectations of them, as well as punishing and berating them frequently. Furthermore, he claimed she was unfaithful to him in the latter part of 2021.
Why Did Xavier Yap Jung Houn Murder His Twin Sons?
As per various online reports, Xavier Yap Jung Houn suffered from major depressive disorder and had several motivations that led him to take the lives of his sons. He believed that it would be better for them.
He felt that his wife had lost hope for the twins, who had autism and held expectations for them that were too much to ask for, expecting them to act like children without any conditions.
He discovered that his wife was being unfaithful and cheating on him with another person. He was concerned that no one would look after the twins when he and his wife passed away, and he feared the twins would be tormented by others.
He decided to take the lives of his sons in the hope that it would grant his wife an opportunity to find joy in a union with her beloved. He wanted to take his life as well and join his sons in death.
How did Xavier Yap Jung Houn Kill His Sons?
On Jan. 21, 2022, Xavier Yap decided to carry out his plan to murder his sons and commit suicide thereafter. He ferried the boys to the field at Greenridge Crescent, located near his apartment on Toh Tuck Road. The boys amused themselves there for about 10 minutes before he lifted them each in turn to the canal next to the playground.
Xavier Yap Jung Houn seized a stick and forced it up against Ethan’s throat. The stick snapped and then he choked Ethan by putting his arm across his throat and pushing hard. Despite putting up a fight, Ethan eventually ceased all movement. Xavier Yap then laid him down with his face submerged in the canal.
Xavier Yap then moved towards Aston, who had been silently standing a few meters away while his brother was being choked. He attempted to choke Aston by placing his arm around his son’s neck, however, he was not powerful enough and both of them collapsed to the floor.
As Aston lay on the ground with his face up, Xavier Yap choked him and kept the pressure on his neck until he stopped moving. He also forced Aston’s face into the canal water.
Judgment & Conviction
In January 2022, Xavier Yap Jung Houn was given a 14-year prison term for murdering his autistic twin sons, Aston Yap Kai Shern and Ethan Yap E Chern.
He was originally accused of murder, which is punishable by death, yet his indictment was lowered to culpable homicide not reaching the level of murder, for which the maximum penalty is either life imprisonment or corporal punishment.
He accepted guilt for the lesser charges and wrote a letter to the court expressing his motivations. He claimed that he was enduring a severe depression and thought that his sons would have been better off if they were deceased. Additionally, he discovered that his partner was unfaithful.
