A Taiwanese woman who allegedly poisoned an Australian exchange student and was reportedly investigated following the mysterious death of her husband just months earlier, has been charged with attempted murder.
Alex Shorey, 25, from Queensland, unknowingly ingested rat poison allegedly put in grape juice by Yang Ping, 46, after he decided to return home for financial and fatigue reasons.
After drinking the poisoned juice, Mr Shorey suffered diarrhea, blood in his urine, vomiting, nosebleeds, abdominal pain and blood spots on his skin and tongue.
Ping, who befriended Shorey while studying Chinese literature in Taiwan, faces up to eight years in prison if convicted.
“His intention was to mix the poison with Alex’s food or drinks, which he frequently consumed at his rented residence in Taipei, causing him illness and forcing him to remain in Taiwan to receive his care,” said a statement from Taipei District Prosecutors. . the Office said, as reported by the alphabet.
While acting as Shorey’s caretaker at the hospital, Ping allegedly continued to put rat poison in his food, which worsened his condition, prosecutors said.
When the student’s mother, Julie, flew to Taiwan to be by her son’s side, she stayed at Ping’s apartment and found an empty bottle of rat poison.
After telling doctors about the discovery, Ping was not allowed to give Mr. Shorey any more medication.
A woman who allegedly poisoned Australian exchange student Alex Shorey (pictured left) in Taiwan in March 2023 has been charged with attempted murder.
After days of bleeding, Mr Shorey went into hypovolemic shock, meaning his organs were at risk of failing due to lack of blood.
A severe allergic reaction to a vitamin K treatment in the hospital caused cardiorespiratory collapse six days later.
When she was arrested, Ping allegedly denied even knowing who Mr. Shorey was.
Taiwanese authorities allege she befriended the much younger University of Queensland student after her British husband died unexpectedly just four months earlier.
Detectives investigating his mysterious death in January 2023 discovered that the Briton had died after suffering symptoms very similar to those of Shorey.
Doctors who treated the man suspected he might have ingested rat poison.
Despite this, his body was handed over to Ping without a forensic autopsy being performed, who subsequently had the body cremated.
The new lead reportedly emerged in January this year when the man’s younger brother traveled to Taiwan in search of information after his older brother moved there after marrying a local woman and quickly lost contact with his family.
After days of bleeding, Mr Shorey (pictured in hospital) went into hypovolemic shock, meaning his organs were at risk of failing due to lack of blood.
Using the little information provided by the younger brother, the police discovered that the British national had been married to the woman accused of poisoning Mr Shorey.
No charges have been brought in the Briton’s death.
There is no suggestion that Ping was in any way responsible for the death of her British husband.
Prosecutors who brought the attempted murder charge against Ping said she had “a desire to satisfy your personal needs for control, jealousy and revenge.”
‘Although Alex fortunately did not die, the suffering he endured in Taiwan was immense. “He was at constant risk of massive bleeding in various parts of his body and could have died at any time,” they said.
“The defendant’s actions, methods and post-crime attitude were extremely malicious and there were no mitigating factors to show compassion.”
Shorey’s family raised more than $200,000 through a GoFundMe campaign to pay for his medical evacuation to Australia.
In the photo Stephen and Julie Shorey, the parents of poisoned Australian student Alex Shorey.
Doctors at Brisbane’s Princess Alexandra Hospital confirmed he had “very high levels of toxins” in his body after ingesting superwarfarin, a highly toxic poison that prevents blood from clotting.
His father, Stephen, said his son had suffered another anaphylactic reaction shortly before leaving Taiwan.
“I think his medical repatriation really saved his life,” Mr Shorey said.
He told ABC that his son had recovered from the poisoning and that they were grateful to everyone who helped bring him home in 2023.
“We were blessed,” he said.
Shorey declined to comment on the charges against Ping so as not to prejudice any judicial proceedings.