Depressed over modules, teen hammers mom to death

By Jennifer P. Rendon

Pressure from modular learning allegedly drove a 16-year-old boy to fall into depression and attack his parents evening of Dec 4, 2021 inside their home in Anini-y, Antique.

Police investigators have yet to ascertain the immediate incident that may have triggered Arjay (real name withheld) to assault his parents with a hammer.

The incident resulted in the death of his 52-year-old mother after she was struck with a mallet twice on her head.

The suspect’s 49-year-old father was able to flee despite injuries on his head.

The father immediately sought help from his father-in-law whose house is just 20 meters away.

The father-in-law immediately responded but Arjay already fled, leaving his bloodied mother inside their bedroom.

The couple was taken to President Diosdado Macapagal District Hospital in Tobias Fornier town but the mother died while undergoing treatment.

The father was later transferred to Angel Salazar Memorial General Hospital in the capital town San Jose where he is now in stable condition.

Arjay was arrested around 7 p.m. of Dec 5 after an uncle saw him walking aimlessly at Barangay San Francisco, a village around 5 kilometers away from their home.

Corporal Randolf Gomez, Anini-y PNP investigator on case, said the father has yet to give his statement on the incident.

Neighbors claimed, though, that they did not hear or notice anything unusual prior to the incident.

But the father-in-law told police investigators that his grandson may have been depressed after he felt pressured into doing his school modules.

“Daw nabukot ni kuno nila ang bata para mag answer sang iya modules” Gomez said. (The parents allegedly prevented him from going out so that he could answer his module.)

It remains uncertain if the teenager exhibiting signs of mental disturbance prior to the incident.

It was gathered that Arjay is the couple’s only child. He has two sisters from her mother’s first marriage.

Arjay was silent at the police station.

“When we are trying to ask him, he was incoherent. Kung ano-ano napanghambal niya,” Gomez said.

The teenage suspect has already been turned over to the Anini-y Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office for proper disposition of his case.

Gomez said that Arjay will undergo psychiatric evaluation.