Autopsy Update

The autopsy on Vicky’s body has been completed, except for a toxicity test that will be undertaken at a government laboratory. This could still take another month and a half, given the number of other cases already being processed by the laboratory. We will provide any available updates on the process when they come to [...]

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More Photos and Video Available

Photos
Another set of photos from the rallies calling for justice for Vicky Flores has been made available at Flickr.
The photostream title is ‘Justice for Vicky Rally 28Apr08′ and the full address is:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10565411@N03/sets/72157604776236422
Included are photos of the final stage of the Admiralty rally outside the Police Headquarters, amongst others. Thanks very much to Lulu for making [...]

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Rallies Send Message

The rallies held yesterday, 27 April, in Discovery Bay and Admiralty combined to send a single message - that anything but a thorough investigation into the disappearance and death of Vicky Flores will not be tolerated. The very good turnout in Discovery Bay showed the depth of community concern about the issue, and the [...]

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Photos Made Available

An album of 28 photos from the vigil on Thursday 17 April and the Discovery Bay rally yesterday is now available through Picasa. Just click on the first photo to enter the album.
Our thanks to the photographer for making the photos available.
The full address is: http://picasaweb.google.com/remembering.vicky.
The main rally post, including photos and video, will [...]

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Rallies and News Coverage in Brief, 27 April

The rallies in both Discovery Bay and Admiralty were well attended today, sending a message to the Hong Kong authorities that the investigation into Vicky’s death has many very concerned onlookers.
More details, including photographs and video clips of both rallies, will be posted as soon as they can be uploaded tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the South China Morning [...]

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Police Contact Numbers

If you have any factual information about Vicky from immediately before or at any time after she left her employers’ residence, please contact the police at:
Telephone: 2988-2330
24-Hour Lines: 2988-2369 or 2988-2370
Fax: 2988-8976
If you know anyone who has any such information and has not contacted the police, please encourage them to do so.

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Rally Details for Sunday 26 April

As we mentioned yesterday, rallies calling for justice for Vicky will be held tomorrow in Discovery Bay and Admiralty. Both rallies will be attended by Vicky’s sister and aunt.

Discovery Bay 11:30 AM to 1 PM

We have received permission from City Management to stage a rally in the Discovery Bay International School forecourt. [...]

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Coverage in the Standard

The Standard, Hong Kong’s free English language newspaper, provided coverage of Vicky’s case yesterday. The brief article is available online and offers no new details, but it’s encouraging to see that two local newspapers are now covering the story.

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Petition Signatures Update

The final tally of handwritten petition signatures collected last night is 2,242. Of those signatures the breakdown is:

1,222 from Discovery Bay, other parts of Lantau and other islands
1,020 from Hong Kong (mainly Central)

Our thanks go to everyone who signed.

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New SCMP Report Today

Today’s South China Morning Post is carrying an important article about the investigation into Vicky’s disappearance and death. It’s on page c3. This is the lede:
A coronial inquest was “very likely” to be held into the death of a domestic helper found drowned off Tung Chung pier earlier this month, police indicated last night at [...]

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Community Meeting Report

The second community meeting in response to Vicky’s disappearance and death took place at 8 PM last night (24 April). The meeting included Discovery Bay residents, representatives of Filipino migrant worker and outreach groups, and members of the press. Contrary to expectations reported earlier on this blog, a representative of the Philippine Consulate did [...]

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Reminder: Community Meeting Tonight (24 April), 8 PM

The community meeting to coordinate our response to Vicky’s death and what will be happening in the near future will be held in 1D, Glamour Court, Discovery Bay Road at 8PM.
For those new to the area, a previous post includes a map.
Please attend if you can.
News from the meeting and coverage of what the [...]

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Belongings Collected

Vicky’s sister Irene, accompanied by police and a representative of the Philippine Consulate, collected Vicky’s belongings from her employer’s residence this morning.
The long process of re-adjusting has only just begun.
At least 3 members of our group should be at the owners’ committee meeting tonight, so we will report on what the police have to say [...]

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Correction to Earlier Commentary

The description of the article in the South China Morning Post that was issued on this blog earlier today was inaccurate. The passage should have read:
The SCMP also quoted a police source as saying that Vicky tried to catch an airport bus in Tung Chung, that she was seen in a Tung Chung bus an [...]

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Community Meeting Thursday 24 April, 8 PM

Meeting Details
A meeting to discuss community activities in response to Vicky’s death will be held in 1D Glamour Court at 8 PM tomorrow night. Thanks to Father Henry and the Catholic church for allowing us to use the room.
For anyone new to the area, Glamour Court is on Discovery Bay Road behind the tennis courts. [...]

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Full Article Text

Here is the full article from page C1 of today’s South China Morning Post. Click on the image for a larger, clearer version in a separate page. It might take a while to load.

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Police Representative to Speak at Owners’ Meeting

Correction Added Below
As the South China Morning Post reported today, a police representative will address the City Owners Committee about the investigation into Vicky’s death at its meeting on Thursday night.
The District Commander (Lantau) of the Tung Chung Police will speak briefly on the matter. Our District Councillor Amy Yung confirmed this in a telephone [...]

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Comments and Electronic Petition Reminder

Thanks to everyone who has left comments here offering support and asking whether they can help. The more people who comment, the more we can show that our voices must be heard. Together we can make sure that Vicky Flores did not die in vain.
To everyone who would like to sign a petition for more [...]

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A Time to Mourn

Vicky’s memorial service was held last night, 21 April, at the Discovery Bay International School. Led by Father Henry Cabral of the local Catholic church and Sister Aida of the Catholic Centre in Central, the service reflected on Vicky’s life and the many difficulties faced by Filipino migrant workers in Hong Kong.
Vicky’s sister Irene spoke [...]

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Appeal for Information

The Tung Chung police have given us an email address to which any information regarding Vicky’s disappearance can be sent:
advc-adm-ltndiv@police.gov.hk
If you can provide any solid facts about the case please use the address. Otherwise, you can call the Tung Chung police station. Information is available through the police contact link in the sidebar.
Just a reminder [...]

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Charitable Foundation

We have applied to establish a charitable foundation to pay for any legal, autopsy and associated costs, and to help support Vicky’s very poor family in the Philippines. The process should take two weeks.
The officers will be:

Chairman: Alan Hellawell
Treasurer: Haziel Torres
Secretary: David Murray

A bank account will be established to accept donations. In the meantime, cheques [...]

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Possible Routes

We have prepared a rough sketch of possible routes that Vicky’s body would have taken to float from Discovery Bay to Tung Chung on Lantau. Neither seem even remotely likely - especially given that there is only a narrow channel separating the Airport from Lantau.
That leaves overland travel to Tung Chung, through a toll tunnel [...]

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Sunday Updates

As promised earlier, here are the latest updates on what we’ve been doing today, and suggestions for what else we can do.

Blog Changes

A link to an electronic version of the petition is now in the sidebar at the right for those who can’t sign a paper copy. Just use the link to [...]

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Monday Service 9 PM

A special service will be held in Vicky’s honour tomorrow at the Discovery Bay International School. Her sister and aunt will be in attendance, as will representatives of Filipino migrant worker groups, friends and other Discovery Bay residents. The details are as follows.

Location: DBIS Hall, beside the playground
Time: 9 PM to 10 PM
Service: Catholic [...]

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Petition Text

A petition calling for a more thorough and transparent investigation into the disappearance and death of Vicky Flores will be circulating later today. Signed copies of the petition will be handed to our District Councillor, Amy Yung, to pass on to the appropriate government bodies. We’re publishing the text here so that anyone who doesn’t [...]

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Remembering Vicky

Vicenta Flores, or Vicky as most people knew her, disappeared from Discovery Bay on Lantau island in Hong Kong on or around 7 April 2008. Her body was found in Tung Chung harbour on the far side of the island on 11 April. Since that time there has been little media coverage of the situation, [...]

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