Latest news with #Kieu

Ottawa Citizen

'She hit me': Lam sister claimed abuse by mom, murder trial hears

One Lam sister told police officers she was physically abused by her mother in the days leading up to the mother's death, court heard on Wednesday afternoon. Article content Sisters Chau Kanh Lam and Hue Ai Lam face first-degree murder charges in relation to the death of their mother, Kieu Lam, in Ottawa on Oct. 31, 2022. They have pleaded not guilty. Article content Article content Police officers and paramedics who testified on Wednesday said they found Kieu Lam in a bedroom on the second floor of the townhome she shared with her daughters shortly after 12:20 a.m. She was unconscious with a traumatic injury on her forehead and a piece of string around her neck, court heard. Article content Article content The jury also heard that the string was tied to the base of a hammer found under Kieu's pillow. Article content Article content Oniste Laurore of the Ottawa Paramedic Service told the court Wednesday that 'it was obvious she was not alive' when Laurore and her former partner initially found Kieu. Article content Laurore said the two moved Kieu off the bed and into a hallway just outside the bedroom to attempt resuscitation because the bedroom was too small. Article content 'She was still warm,' Laurore said on the witness stand. Article content Bradley Ross, who was an advanced-care paramedic with the Ottawa Paramedic Service at the time of Kieu's death, said she was not breathing and did not have a pulse when he arrived at the Lam residence. Article content Ross said he delegated Laurore and other emergency responders to perform CPR and other life-saving measures shortly after Kieu was moved to the hallway. He also told the court he was consulting with a physician by telephone at the same time. Article content Article content Despite their efforts, however, Kieu was pronounced deceased shortly after 1 a.m. Article content Article content Ottawa Police Service Const. Timothy Tang arrived at the home on Bowmount Street in response to a request from colleagues for additional officers because the incident was deemed a homicide. When he reached the Lam residence, Tang was directed by a staff sergeant to stay in the kitchen with two women he later identified as Hue and Chau. Article content 'I don't know if emotionless was the right word. Maybe a little spaced-out, but very blank,' Tang testified. Article content Tang said he requested a Vietnamese interpreter over the phone, but was told he would get a callback when one became available. In the meantime, he tried to extract information from Hue, who could understand basic Cantonese.