Filipina household helper found dead hanging on cabinet door

By Ricky Laxa
Staff Writer

A 34 years old domestic worker in Kuwait Joy Ocampo was found by her co worker hanging on a cabinet door on September 8 at 8:30 pm in the house of the mother of her employer. The death was suspected a suicide caused by series of arguments with her  boyfriend in the Philippines.

Ocampo, a mother of three and native of Bicol have been working for her employer for the past one year, although this is the second time she secured a job in Kuwait  from Saudi Arabia and Qatar earlier. In an exclusive interview with Mia (Not her real name) a co worker of Ocampo stated that on the 8th of September they were both dropped off in the house of the mother of their employer, which has been a regular routine should their employers have business to attend to.  Mia who takes care of their employers’ daughter and the household helper of the mother’s employer were all upstairs on the second floor, while Ocampo volunteered to cook the food in the kitchen.

It was during this time when Ocampo was heard having a loud dispute with her boyfriend on the phone, which to Mia was a common occurrence between Ocampo and her boyfriend.

“At about 8:30 pm, our employers returned to pick us up it was then, I headed to the car while we waited for her, when no one came out I went to the kitchen and called out but no response  then I proceeded to the room and found  Ocampo hanging from the cabinet with her thin jacket wrapper around her neck. I panicked and called my employers who rushed to the scene.” narrated Mia. Police were summoned to the scene and Ocampo’s lifeless body was taken by an ambulance.

Mia stated that prior to Ocampo’s death, she called her friend and confided that her boyfriend said that she should just stay away and shut up.  Ocampo’s employers were saddened with the incident, “She should have told us that she has problems back home and we could have help resolve them” commented employer of Ocampo. Case has been referred to the Philippine Embassy while investigations are underway.