On February 17, the Long Bien District Police (Hanoi) began investigating the death of a 5-month-old baby girl, N.D.C. (from Giang Bien Ward), after her mother entrusted her to a local childcare provider.
Later that afternoon, reporters observed that the childcare facility involved in the incident (located on Tram Street, Long Bien Ward, Long Bien District) had temporarily suspended operations. The owner of the facility is Ms. N.T.N.
In an interview with reporters, a woman living on Tram Street revealed that Ms. N. is originally from another region, speaks with a central Vietnamese accent, and claimed to have previously worked as a kindergarten teacher.
After moving to live in Alley 61 on Tram Street, Ms. N. started providing childcare services at her three-story home, using the first floor as the designated area for children.
“Each day, Ms. N., along with her parents-in-law, takes care of about 10 children,” a neighbor of Ms. N. shared.
A narrow alley leading to Ms. N.'s houseMs. N.’s house is located in a narrow alley (Photo: Hai Nam).
Meanwhile, Mrs. V. (50 years old, from Long Bien Ward) recounted that no families in the neighborhood sent their children or grandchildren to Ms. N.’s facility, as the area has many schools. The children under Ms. N.’s care were all from elsewhere.
Residents of Tram Street noted that since Ms. N. began offering childcare services, this was the first incident of its kind. “She looks pleasant and speaks politely. But we don’t know much about her personality,” a neighbor commented.
The same person recalled that last night, while several families were having a gathering, they suddenly noticed police officers entering Ms. N.’s house. Some officers also visited nearby homes to request access to security camera footage.
Previously, according to Ms. Q. (from Giang Bien Ward), she sought childcare for her 5-month-old daughter in mid-February due to personal commitments.
Through social media, Ms. Q. learned about Ms. N. (from Tram Street, Long Bien Ward). This caregiver introduced herself as a former preschool teacher who was currently providing home-based childcare.
Both parties agreed on a daily rate of 150,000 VND and 250,000 VND per night for the infant’s care. Ms. N. took charge of the baby from February 15 to February 16.
On the morning of February 16, Ms. Q. asked Ms. N. if the baby had been fussy during the night. Ms. N. replied that the baby had woken up twice and was fed milk. Around 11 a.m. that day, Ms. Q. was shocked to learn that her daughter had been rushed to the hospital.
Upon arriving at the hospital, the mother was devastated to discover that her child had passed away.
Regarding the case, a representative from the Long Bien District Police stated that authorities immediately coordinated with relevant agencies to conduct a crime scene investigation and autopsy to determine the cause of the infant’s death.
