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Remote working father found the bodies of his deceased wife and son and was charged with suspicion of their murder

In Barnet, our client Mr Yuan, 37, was arrested on suspicion of murdering his 37-year-old wife and 5-year-old son on Tuesday, June 21st, 2022.

Donna Minott, Stuart Miller Criminal Defence Solicitor’s Police Station Representative, provided adept advice and representation for Mr Yuan.

Mr Yuan explained that early Tuesday morning he took his eldest son to school. He then picked up medication for his wife and returned home. Once there, he began work at home on the 1st floor and his wife and youngest son remained upstairs, in the loft bedroom.

Mr Yuan heard his son yell at around 11am but didn’t get up to check on him as he was working.

At around 1pm he noted he had not seen his wife or son all morning as he had been in work meetings and went to the loft bedroom to investigate.

He realised the door to the bedroom was locked and he had to force the door open, using a hammer and knife to create a hole in the door. Once inside he found the deceased bodies of his wife, holding a knife and son. They had sustained slashed throats, among other injuries.

Our client was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder.

At his first interview, Mr Yuan declined the legal representation of a lawyer, but enlisted the help of criminal defence specialists Stuart Miller Solicitors at his second interview.

Donna Minott provided representation on behalf of the client that demonstrated his innocence.

She explained that due to work meetings he did not realise how much time had passed since he had last heard or seen his son, and even though his wife was dealing with mental health issues he was complacent to the dynamic of her caring for their youngest son.

Donna recommended and the police agreed that the Custody Time Limit be kept to a minimum for the sake of Mr Yuan’s remaining child. Mr Yuan was released on bail.

Over the next couple of days, the police found a suicide note. Mr Yuan’s handwriting was tested against that of the suicide note but due to the shakiness of our client’s hand it was proven it could not be him who wrote it.

The cause of death was deemed suicide and our client was cleared of the charges.

In a statement Donna Minnot from Stuart Miller Solicitors stated:

“As I expressed to the police on behalf of our client, it was in the long-term interests of Mr Yuan and his surviving child to have him released from the station as soon as possible.”

“There was never any evidence that demonstrated our client had anything to do with the tragic deaths of his wife and son, and I made sure this was evident to the police. I advocated on his behalf that through habit and complacency, he did not anticipate these events occurring at the hands of his wife”.

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