Nguyễn Thị Hồng Bích, 39, at the trial in Đồng Nai Province on November 27. — Photo laodong.vn

ĐỒNG NAI — The People's Court of the southern province Đồng Nai on Thursday handed down the death sentence to Nguyễn Thị Hồng Bích, born in 1986 and residing in Phước An Commune, for poisoning four members of her own family with cyanide.

The trial panel found that Bích’s actions were deliberate, calculated and carried out in a cold-blooded manner, exploitative of the trust and lack of suspicion of the victims. The use of a highly toxic substance demonstrated cruelty and depravity, particularly as the victims included two children under 16 and another under 18.

The court said the defendant’s actions were inhumane, targeting vulnerable family members. The revenge motive was described as cunning and vicious, especially as the victims were her own husband and three nieces and nephews.

Records and testimony showed that the defendant was determined to commit the crime to the end; the survival of another nephew victim T. was deemed 'accidental'. The court ruled the offences extremely serious, morally bankrupt and destructive to all familial ethics, leaving no possibility of reconciliation.

On that basis, the panel concluded that Bích was beyond rehabilitation and must be permanently removed from society as a deterrent.

The court also noted that there was no evidence to pursue charges related to the deaths of the defendant’s father and child.

Regarding civil liability, Bích was ordered to pay VNĐ300 million (over US$11,300) in compensation to her brother’s family, as well as hospital expenses for T.

The court sentenced Nguyễn Thị Hồng Bích to death for murder and 15 years in prison for possession of toxic substances. The combined penalty is the death sentence.

Family conflict escalated into lethal intent

According to the indictment, Bích initially bought around one kilogram of cyanide online with the intention of committing suicide after becoming distressed over her husband’s gambling debts.

Over time, however, mounting conflicts with her husband and other family members led her to form the deadly idea of using the cyanide against them.

According to the indictment, the first scheme started on January 5, 2023, when Bích mixed cyanide into her husband’s capsule medication for stomach illness, blood pressure and gout. The man eventually died on October 18, 2023.

Next, on January 1, 2024, following a dispute with her younger sister, Bích mixed cyanide into mineral water and gave it to her niece D., born in 2017. The child died the following day.

In the third murder, on May 25, 2024, after arguing with her sister-in-law, she again mixed cyanide into a drink and gave it to her nephew N., born in 2012. He died on the following day.

In the last failed murder attempt, on June 22, 2024, she tricked her niece T., born in 2006, into swallowing cyanide-filled capsules under the guise of acne medication. T. survived but suffered 23 per cent bodily injury.

Prosecutors identified multiple aggravating factors: killing two or more people, killing children under 16 and committing the crimes with a base motive.

During questioning, Bích said she suffered mental distress after her child died and her husband fell into heavy debt. She initially intended to take the cyanide herself but later used it to “resolve” conflicts within the family.

When asked why she targeted her young nieces and nephews, she admitted she acted out of anger towards her sister and sister-in-law. The death of her own child, she said, also made her harbour harmful intentions towards other children in the family.

Bích also admitted to the trial panel that she felt her actions were heinous.

“I truly regret everything and I don’t know how to atone for it, so I can only apologise and ask for forgiveness,” Bích said.

Representatives of the victims’ families expressed profound grief, saying they could not imagine that minor household conflicts could escalate into such a tragedy. — VNS