A 46-year-old who allegedly strangled her intellectually disabled son was in stable condition yesterday after her hospitalization.

She remained detained after her arrest for murder on Saturday. She allegedly strangled her son, 21, inside their home in Ying Kwai House, Kwai Chung Estate.

When police arrived, the son, Wong, was found unconscious on the floor with neck injuries. He was certified dead at the scene.

The mother, Chen, was found injured and was suspected of having attempted suicide.

A plastic tablecloth was suspected to have been used.

Wong, who had moderate intellectual disability and a hyperactivity disorder, studied and lived at Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Tsui Tsin Tong School. He would usually go home once or twice a week.

When Wong turned 21 late last month, he was no longer eligible to stay at the residential care home and had to move back home.

A neighbor said Wong lacked self-care ability, could not use the toilet on his own and needed assistance when eating.

Legislator Fernando Cheung Chiu-hung said the incident was a social tragedy and cases like this had been happening for years.

"I am saddened by it and yet angry about the lack of response from the government to the needs of the disabled," he said. "If there were sufficient places for care homes, this tragedy could have been averted."

"The government should provide sufficient quality care homes for the disabled instead of asking them to wait for more than 10 years for these services," Cheung said.

Respite care programs allow a caretaker to ask a friend, a neighbor or relative to care for a disabled family member for a few hours every week or when necessary. The service is paid by the government and it could be home-based or center-based, he said.

"Currently, emergency services are in short supply and respite services are nonexistent," he said.

Mom held at hospital over death of handicapped son