A 16-year-old girl who died following an incident at her family’s Chinese restaurant is believed to have suffered pressure to her neck, an inquest has heard.
Wenjing Lin – also known as Wenjing Xu – was allegedly attacked at the Blue Sky takeaway in the village of Ynyswen in Treorchy, South Wales at around midday on Friday March 5.
Chun Xu, 31, of no fixed address, has been charged with Wenjing’s murder as well as the attempted murder of a 38-year-old man.
On Friday, Pontypridd Coroner’s Court heard that Wenjing had been living with her mother and stepfather above the takeaway in Baglan Street.
Coroner’s officer Lauren Howitt told the hearing that, at the time of the incident, “another male was staying there with them”.
“Following an altercation at the property, Wenjing was discovered deceased in a kitchen area,” Ms Howitt said.
“Police attended and arrested a male at the scene, who has been charged with her murder.”
Ms Howitt said a post-mortem examination had provided a provisional cause of death for Wenjing as “pressure on neck”, adding: “However, there are further investigations to follow.”
The court heard that Wenjing was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on December 20 2004, before her family later moved to Wales.
Senior coroner David Regan said he would adjourn the inquest but would not fix a date for its resumption “to allow the police to progress their inquiries”.
Murder-accused Xu did not enter a plea to the two charges against him when he appeared at Cardiff Crown Court last month and was remanded in custody ahead of a three-week trial on November 1.
South Wales Police have said Xu is not related to Wenjing.
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Wenjing’s teachers at Treorchy Comprehensive School previously paid tribute to her, describing her as “kind, passionate and ambitious”.
The school said the teenager was a “very responsible pupil” who combined her academic ambitions with supporting her family business.
A statement released by her family said: “Wenjing had a very gentle soul, she was a very quiet person. Wenjing helped the whole family, working in the family takeaway.
“She enjoyed school and worked very hard. She was loved by her family.”
