“My Daughter’s Killing Could Have Been Prevented” — Mother Of BU School Victim Sues Govt, Teen And His Parents

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The mother of Yap Shing Xuen, the 16-year-old schoolgirl who was fatally stabbed at her Bandar Utama school last year, has filed a civil suit against several government agencies, the teenager recently acquitted of killing her daughter, and his parents

Wong Lee Ping, also known as Aapple Wong, and her eldest daughter filed the suit at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on 1 October through Messrs Surendra Ananth.

In a statement issued on Saturday, 3 October, Wong said the family strongly believed Yap's killing could have been prevented if the relevant parties had taken appropriate steps, particularly in dealing with mental health issues among schoolchildren.

"This is not about vengeance. It is about ensuring that the relevant parties are held accountable so that this does not happen to any other child," the mother said.

Her call for accountability came hours before another 16-year-old schoolgirl, Irene Sofiya Mohd Khairool Faisal, was found unconscious and covered in blood at a secondary school in Yong Peng, Johor.

She was later pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy found several injuries to her head and body.

Police subsequently arrested three male students, all aged 16, in connection with the case, with one of them later remanded for six days.

The case is being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder, while police said the motive and circumstances had yet to be established.

The latest death has again placed the safety of children in schools under scrutiny, with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim calling for an immediate, thorough and transparent investigation.

"The safety of our children is a shared responsibility," Anwar said, adding that the government would not compromise on ensuring their safety and well-being.

Her civil suit asks the Kuala Lumpur High Court to examine whether Yap's death could have been prevented, and whether the government, the teenager accused of killing her, his parents and other parties should be held legally responsible.

What is the family suing over?

Wong said the suit names several government agencies as defendants, alleging that they failed to take adequate preventive measures to address mental health issues in schools before matters escalated.

She said the government had a duty to ensure that government schools were safe places for children, and that policies and statements on addressing student mental health were insufficient without proper implementation.

"We strongly believe that they have failed to do so," she said.

The suit also names the teenagers' parents as defendants.

Wong said there had been warning signs and argued that parents have a responsibility to take due care to ensure their children do not harm others.

The teenager himself is also named as a defendant.

Wong said the family wanted the issues raised in the suit to be fully examined at trial.

"These are very important issues. There should be a full trial so that all these issues can be properly heard and examined by the court," she said.

"Policies and statements mean nothing" without implementation

Wong also used the lawsuit to highlight what she described as shortcomings in the way mental health policies for schoolchildren are implemented.

She said the government had introduced policies and made statements about addressing mental health issues among students, but argued that these measures were meaningless without proper implementation.

"With the increasing mental health challenges faced by our children today, we cannot choose to stay silent anymore," she said.

"Grand statements and plans are insufficient. We cannot wait until more lives are lost before proper action is taken."

"I will not get my daughter back"

Wong said the lawsuit would not bring Yap back, but that the facts that emerged during the criminal proceedings had strengthened her belief that the killing could have been prevented.

"I will not get my daughter back. She is gone," she said, recalling sending Yap to school on 14 October last year, expecting her to return home as usual.

"But on that day, I lost a daughter, and my eldest daughter lost her sister," she said.

"No mother or sister should ever have to go through what we did."

The civil suit comes as the criminal case against the teenager remains before the courts

The Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) filed a notice of appeal at the Court of Appeal on 22 September, challenging the Shah Alam High Court's decision to acquit the 15-year-old teenager who fatally stabbed Yap at SMK Bandar Utama Damansara (4) on 14 October, 2025.

The appeal was filed eight days after the High Court acquitted the teenager after finding that he was of unsound mind when the offence was committed.

Although the teenager was acquitted of the murder charge, the court ordered him to be detained at Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta in Perak and undergo treatment at the pleasure of the Sultan of Selangor.

The Court of Appeal will now determine the AGC's challenge to the acquittal, while the civil suit filed by Yap's family will separately seek to examine whether other parties could be held legally responsible for what happened to her.