3 women arrested in Hong Kong after elderly woman filmed slapping girl, 5, at playground

A physical altercation broke out at a children's play area in a Hong Kong mall after a girl was slapped by an elderly woman.

It resulted in three people, including the girl, being sent to the hospital for injuries, The South China Morning Post reported.

Police were called to the scene, and they arrested the elderly woman, her daughter, and the girl's mother.

The incident happened on Aug. 26 in the atrium of APM shopping mall, located in Hong Kong's Kwun Tong district.

Footage of the slap, circulating online, shows the elderly woman shoving the girl, then slapping her across the face, causing her to fall on the ground.

However, following investigations, the police believe that the woman, aged 68, may have been hit first by the girl's mother.

What happened?

The day of the incident, APM mall had a sports-themed playground at its atrium.

The elderly woman, a 68-year-old surnamed Leung, and her 34-year-old daughter surnamed Ng, brought Ng's son to play there.

Another woman, surnamed Tsui, also 34, had separately brought her 5-year-old daughter, The Standard reported.

The dispute allegedly began when the two children argued over a basketball installation.

After Leung shoved and slapped the girl, the girl's mother confronted both Leung and Ng, and further scuffling ensued.

A man who intervened at one point went towards Leung and yelled in Cantonese, "Did you just hit a child? I saw you."

Ng also confronted Tsui while holding an umbrella and told her, "You cannot leave."

According to The Standard, there is another video that shows Tsui allegedly slapping Leung across the face during a heated exchange before Leung slapped the girl.

The girl reportedly had a swollen right cheek due to the slap, while her mother and Ng also had minor facial injuries.

Charged

All three women involved have been charged with fighting in a public place, SCMP reported.

Leung faces an additional count of common assault.

They are all scheduled to appear in court on Sep. 3.

Ng has also been suspended by her employer, insurance provider AIA, following the dispute.

In a statement on Aug. 27, an AIA spokesperson said the company held its advisers to strict standards of professional conduct and did not condone any form of violence.

According to the Hong Kong Free Press, Tsui and her daughter are allegedly from mainland China, holding two-way permits that allow them to travel to and from Hong Kong.