A viral video showing a schoolgirl carrying two large bags of beer has drawn fresh attention to her family after her parents said during a TV interview that they receive Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA).
The girl’s 38-year-old father and 32-year-old mother were arrested on Wednesday (Oct 7) on suspicion of ill-treating or neglecting a child after the video, reportedly filmed at Fu Tai Estate in Tuen Mun, went viral.
The Social Welfare Department said it will convene a multidisciplinary case conference to assess the case. The three siblings were also taken to hospital for medical examinations and temporarily admitted for observation.
The couple appeared on TVB’s Scoop, where they denied the allegations and spoke about their family life. The mother said the family travels several times a year and cited the trips as part of their family life.
After the program aired, netizens began combing through the mother’s public social media posts, with some sharing photos of the family’s spending on leisure and entertainment.
One post, dated Aug 31, 2024, showed the family visiting Hong Kong Disneyland. Several Magic Access annual passes could be seen in the photos, including a Gold Membership.
According to Disney’s official pricing at the time, an adult Gold Membership cost HK$2,558, while the student, child and senior version cost HK$1,818.
The mother also shared photos from her daughter’s birthday celebration, showing the girl in a princess dress and crown with a cake priced at HK$598.
Her social media account also features numerous posts related to MIRROR.
She has shared photos with standees of members including Keung To and Anson Lo Hon-ting, as well as official merchandise she received from her husband as a birthday gift in October 2024.
The gifts included a Keung To desk calendar, an Ian Chan Cheuk-yin jigsaw-puzzle photo frame, badges, keychains and acrylic standees featuring other members.
The posts prompted some netizens to question the family’s spending while receiving CSSA.
One user wrote: “I’ve been paying taxes for years, but I’ve never even been to Disneyland, let alone bought an annual pass.”
Another questioned why taxpayers’ money should be used for leisure spending, while others said receiving CSSA does not mean recipients cannot spend money on entertainment or personal interests.
