In a surprising turn in the controversial case of a mother allegedly killing her two children to claim life insurance benefits, the maternal aunt of the deceased children has refuted claims that she reported the mother to police.

Family under pressure due to online rumors

Amid growing speculation on social media that a woman identified as T.T.T.N. killed her two sons to claim insurance payouts, VietNamNet spoke on April 4 with N.T.B.T. (born 1989), the children’s aunt, who lives in Ha Lam town, Thang Binh district, Quang Nam province.

Speaking to the press, Ms. T. said she has been emotionally distressed over the past two days, as the facts surrounding the case remain unclear while inaccurate information and images are circulating widely online, causing intense pressure on the family.

She denied social media claims suggesting that her niece (the third child of Ms. N.) suspected her mother’s intent and asked her to report it to the authorities.

“I asked my niece directly, and she said: ‘Mom hasn’t done anything wrong to me.’ Also, I never reported the case to the police, contrary to what is being claimed online,” she clarified.

Ms. T. explained that her brother (Ms. N.'s husband) was a driver who passed away from liver cirrhosis in 2019, leaving behind four children. After his death, Ms. N. struggled with employment and frequently left home, eventually entrusting her youngest child to Ms. T.’s care.

Regarding the deaths of the two younger boys, Ms. T. shared that in 2021, Ms. N.’s youngest son (born 2019) died, and in early 2023, her third son (born 2017) also passed away. In both cases, the children reportedly died after falling into a bucket of water.

“When the first child died, we believed it was a tragic accident. But when the second child died under similar circumstances, I became suspicious and reported it to local police to clarify the matter. The conclusion at the time was that the child had drowned. Since then, the family has not requested a reopening of the investigation,” she said.

Ms. T. added that as the case has resurfaced in recent days, she hopes the police will re-examine it thoroughly to ensure fairness for the deceased children, so they can rest in peace.

“If it turns out there was no wrongdoing, then the rumors targeting my sister-in-law that have lingered for years can be put to rest,” she said.

She expressed her wish that the matter would soon be resolved so that her two nieces, currently in 9th and 11th grade, could focus on their studies. “They’ve been under enormous stress because of this,” she added.

Local authorities respond

Mr. Nguyen Dinh Hai, the head of the residential group where Ms. N. lives, said that she is often away from home, and he does not know what job she does.

In both 2021 and 2023, after the children’s deaths, a person claiming to represent a life insurance company visited him to verify information. He recalled being informed by the family that both children drowned in buckets, but said he had no further knowledge about the actual circumstances.

Authorities to penalize misinformation spreaders

As previously reported by VietNamNet, on April 3, unverified social media posts alleged that a woman named T.T.T.N. had killed her two children in Quang Nam to claim life insurance.

Later that same day, multiple videos were shared showing Quang Nam police visiting a woman’s home in Ha Lam town, Thang Binh district. The videos show authorities escorting her into a vehicle, fueling online speculation.

The viral posts quickly circulated across various platforms, causing public anxiety.

Responding to media inquiries, officials from the Quang Nam Provincial Police said the case involving the children’s deaths had occurred some time ago and could not yet be classified as a “mother kills children” case.

Previously, Thang Binh District Police investigated the matter but did not press charges. When the district police were dissolved and the case was transferred to the provincial level, officials deemed that there were unresolved questions and reopened the review process.

Authorities warned that those who livestream or share unverified information regarding the case will be subject to penalties.

Ha Nam