Taoyuan: A man who stabbed his mother to death in 2024 has been sentenced to 19 years and 10 months in prison by the Taoyuan District Court. The defendant, surnamed Chen, was an 18-year-old vocational school student when he committed the crime on June 1, 2024, due to his mother’s disapproval of his life choices, as stated by the court following Friday’s ruling.

According to Focus Taiwan, Chen reportedly felt dismissed by his mother for a significant period. After she refused to engage in discussions related to his life and education, Chen decided to kill her as a way to “move forward in life,” according to the court’s statement.

The Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office, in its indictment, characterized Chen’s actions as “ferocious and determined,” citing multiple wounds inflicted on vital organs. Nevertheless, the court highlighted Chen’s admission to the crime shortly after it took place, his consistency in statements, and his remorse throughout the investigation.

The court also took into account Chen’s medical history, noting that he had been diagnosed since childhood with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit disorder (ADD), obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD), and antisocial personality disorder, which contributed to his difficulties in controlling emotions.

The incident has left a profound emotional impact on Chen’s family, with many relatives struggling to forgive him, the court noted. In determining the sentence, the court considered the possibility of Chen’s reintegration into society, taking into account mitigating factors such as his lack of a prior criminal record, his employment in part-time jobs to support himself, his closeness to his family, and his continued expression of affection for them after the incident.