Foxconn reports new suspected suicide
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Taiwan manufacturing giant Foxconn Technology Group, a major manufacturer for US-based Apple Corp, has reported the third suspected suicide this year among its 300,000 employees.
Company officials said on Tuesday that an employee surnamed Liu, a recent university graduate who joined the Shenzhen company in August, fell to his death from the 14th floor of his dormitory building early Monday morning. He was 23.
This is the third suspected suicide at the company this year. A male Foxconn worker fell to his death on Jan 23 and another man died on March 11.
Liu, wearing only underwear on the lower part of his body and a work shirt, was found by a lorry driver who was delivering food for the company.
Local police confirmed on Monday that he died from the fall and launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death, but no details were released on Tuesday.
Liu Kun, a spokesman of Foxconn Technology, could not be reached for comment.
At a news briefing on Monday, he said the company was saddened by the loss of a promising employee, who was considered a "future backbone" of the company.
Liu's two roommates are being questioned by the police, the spokesman said.
The spokesman said it is difficult to manage the factory with 300,000 employees.
A co-worker, who declined to be named, said Liu suffered from a sleepwalking disorder, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
Police are still investigating the first two deaths at Foxconn this year.
Ma Xiangqian, the employee who died in January, is reported to have leapt to his death following accusations that he stole a prototype of a fourth generation iPhone.
Foxconn offered a 500,000-yuan ($73,000) reward for information about Ma's death, but no evidence suggesting foul play has been found.
However, Ma's sister, Ma Hui, said she believed her brother died after being beaten because she found large wounds on his head and blood around his mouth and nose.
On July 16, 2009, Sun Danyong, of Foxconn, died during an investigation into the loss of a prototype of Apple's iPhone.
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