Two adults were arrested Friday for allegedly endangering children’s lives by bringing two young boys to watch treacherous waves during Super Typhoon Ragasa, local police said.
The 46-year-old father and a 33-year-old foreign domestic helper were taken into custody after authorities reviewed social media video and closed-circuit television footage showing the pair with four- and six-year-old boys near Kennedy Town’s waterfront during the dangerous storm conditions.
Western District Chief Inspector Cheung Wai-shan characterized the incident as an extreme risk, noting that while the children escaped physical harm, they were exposed to potentially fatal circumstances.
“There were significant swells, with seawater already surging onto the pavement,” Cheung told reporters. “The adults were deliberately positioning the children to take photographs in a perilous environment where they could have been swept away.”
Police emphasized that the adults’ actions demonstrated a reckless disregard for child safety. Cheung strongly condemned such behavior, warning that such incidents not only endanger families but could also unnecessarily risk first responders’ lives.
The case underscores ongoing concerns about parental judgment during extreme weather events, with local authorities repeatedly cautioning residents to prioritize safety over spectacle.
Charges of child neglect are pending further investigation.
