The bodies of two young women and a young man were found in a hotel suite in Taipei on Monday, in an apparent suicide pact, but the incident is still under investigation.
The apparent suicides were by carbon monoxide poisoning from burning charcoal, after the trio checked into a fifth-floor room on Sunday afternoon at the Sant Want Hotel, on Zhongxiao E Road Sec 4.
Police said the bodies were of a 23-year-old man surnamed Chien (簡) and two 19-year-old females — a National Taitung University sophmore surnamed Huang (黃) and a factory worker surnamed Wu (吳) who worked in New Taipei City’s (新北市) Sinjhuang District (新莊).
A family member said Chien could only find temporary jobs after graduating from college and since he was unable to find regular work, he was unhappy about his life, which had led him to talk of suicide before.
The police said Chien had talked by telephone with Wu, and they believe he asked Wu to invite Huang, since the two women knew each other.
Huang checked into the hotel on Sunday afternoon.
Reception staff said she carried a backpack and did not exhibit any unusual behavior, while Chien and Wu arrived later.
Hotel personnel opened their room at 1pm on Monday, after calls went unanswered, and found the three bodies lying in the bathroom.
The authorities suspected it was suicide, as charcoal residue was found, while the openings and edges of the door to the room and the bathroom door were all sealed tight with tape.
Wu’s grandmother told the police that her granddaughter had a relationship with a boyfriend, but recently heard that she complained of “living in pain,” and also spoke about suicide.
University officials said Huang suffered psychological problems during her freshman year. She was being monitored and was receiving treatment at a hospital every two weeks.
Additional reporting by Huang Ming-tang and Lee Jung-ping
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