Abroad
S'pore woman in HK, 36, suffers 2nd-degree burns after acid attack by teen
The teen has pleaded guilty to the attack which took place in June 2025.
October 16, 2026, 12:37 PM
Photo via Canva (for illustrative purposes only).
While visiting her sister in Hong Kong in June 2025, a 36-year-old tourist from Singapore was attacked with acid, perpetrated by a then-17-year-old teenager.
The attack left her with second-degree burns on both legs.
Although he fled the scene, the teenager, Anson Kew, later turned himself in. He did not offer an explanation for the attack.
The teenager, now 19, pleaded guilty before the Hong Kong courts on Oct. 15.
The attack
According to ST Headline and HK01, the 36-year-old, Jiang Wen, had travelled from Singapore to Hong Kong in June 2025 to visit her sister.
On the day of the attack, Jiang was leaving The Hennessy in Wan Chai after meeting her sister.
She was getting into a private hire car when Kew appeared wearing dark clothes and donning a cap and mask.
Kew approached Jiang and splashed acid at her.
This caused Jiang to fall to the ground, screaming in pain.
She collapsed after feeling an intense burning sensation on her face and legs, South China Morning Post reported.
The private hire driver called the police.
Kew fled the scene.
Burns to 10 to 11 per cent of body
Jiang was rushed to the hospital and found with burns to 10 to 11 per cent of body, mainly affecting her face and limbs.
She was put through an emergency surgery and received skin grafts.
Jiang would go on to spend about two months in the Hong Kong hospital before returning to Singapore for further treatment.
Teenager scouted location days before attack
Two days after the attack, Kew turned himself in at a police station.
He remained silent as he was questioned by police and did not explain why he carried out the attack.
Hong Kong police later found a plastic bottle containing small amounts of a liquid in a back alley near where the attack took place.
Tests showed that the liquid contained highly-concentrated sulphuric acid.
CCTV footage from Kew's residence showed him handling a plastic bottle and backpack with gloves on.
Investigations also revealed that Kew had scouted the location days before the attack.
Kew, now 19, pleaded guilty during a hearing in the Hong Kong courts on Thursday (Oct. 15).
He will be back in court again on Oct. 29 for sentencing.
