Young Brothers Died from Toxic Chemical

Brothers of elementary school students died by drinking cyanide, and the police is investigating the possibility of a murder.

Goyang Police Station, Kyonggi-Do, announced yesterday that two sons of a certain Lee (40, a venture businessman), 11 years old (4th grade) and 8 years old (1st grade), were found in death by their mother, who came home from her visit, known as Kim (39), at Lee`s apartment at Hwajung-Dong, Dukyang-Gu, Goyang City, about 4:50 p.m. on 20th.

The mother testified to the police that, "My sons, who were good at studies and had cheerful characters, had no reason to commit suicide and they did not make any enemies. I had talked to them over the phone just before I returned home."

The Police think that they were killed by poisoning. The autopsy shows that hydrocyanic acid was found in their stomachs and empty plastic bottles for drugs and mouth cleaners were found at the spot.

Considering that hydrocyanic acid is deadly poisonous chemical used for refining precious metals and hardly found in ordinary market, the Police does not exclude the possibility that someone secretly filled the bottles with the poison to kill the Lee`s family.

argus@donga.com