HONG KONG: The elderly father of a 3-year-old boy allegedly killed by a former mental patient gave vent to his grief over his son's tragic end and blamed the government for turning him into a "living corpse".

The 61-year-old father Yu Kwok-cheong appeared in public Friday for the first time since he was injured in the attack May 29. His 3-year-old boy Yu Kam-chun was chopped to death.

The father, accompanied by legislator Frederick Fung, broke down in tears and kept asking why his son would suffer such a fate.

"My son would be four years old on July 7. It will never happen after May 29," the emotional Yu said. "He was an innocent and cute kid. Why did he suffer? My beautiful family is separated."

Yu said his world turned dark after he had lost his son.

"I am just a living corpse. I and my wife are lonely. I was a happy man with my son," he stopped a while when tears were coming down before asking "Why ... Why ... Why would something like that happen?"

Leung Chuen-wing, 39, a former mental patient is now charged in the boy's slaying.

Leung was reported to receive a regular follow-up treatment at the time of his arrest. During his last visit on May 8, a senior psychiatrist diagnosed him as mentally stable.

But he told the police that he had a sudden and impulsive urge to commit an assault and left home prepared with a 10-inch-long chopper he took from his kitchen.

Police say Leung walked toward the father and son, who were playing in the open space outside Tung Chau Street Temporary Market in Sham Shui Po. Police say Leung told them he picked the boy because he was "an easy target".

"The mentally ill patients should be properly monitored. I don't know who will be the next victim," Yu said.

A spokesman for Food and Health Bureau said the incident was unfortunate and sad, and the department had sent condolences to Yu.

(HK Edition 06/13/2009 page1)