Japanese Child's Death at Luxury Resort Leads to Construction Violation Charges

A man has been indicted for violating construction regulations in connection with the unusual drowning of an 11-year-old Japanese boy at a luxury resort in Mui Ne, Lam Dong province, more than four years ago. This marks the latest legal development after the case, involving serious consequences from construction regulation violations, was reopened for investigation in late June 2026. The decision to indict Mr. Nguyen Quoc Quan was approved by the Lam Dong Provincial People's Procuracy. Details of his alleged violations and role have not yet been disclosed. Over the past four years, the case has been suspended and had its charges changed multiple times. According to records, around 10:35 AM on April 5, 2022, the boy, Yukiji, was playing with two other children at the "Lazy River" pool at the Centara Mirage Mui Ne resort. He was later found to have been sucked into the area of the suction system beneath the pool. Despite efforts to pull him out and administer first aid, he could not be revived. Forensic examination determined the victim died from drowning. Square-shaped marks were found arranged in rows on his back and waist. Subsequent investigations indicated that when operating, the pool's system could strongly pull individuals of similar physique to Yukiji towards the suction outlet. If the victim's back came into contact with this area, escape might have been impossible. In May 2022, the former Phan Thiet City Police initiated a case for "Unintentional Homicide due to Violation of Professional Rules." During the investigation, the case was temporarily suspended, reopened, and then suspended again due to differing expert conclusions regarding the potential danger of the pool's suction system. In early 2025, the former Binh Thuan Provincial Police reopened the investigation following a judicial assessment of the pool by the Ministry of Construction. The specialized agency determined that there were violations in the design, construction, and operation of the massage pump, suction, and drainage system in that area. The assessment concluded that the investor had not fully approved the design standards, construction, and inspection of the massage pump, suction, and drainage system. The design unit also failed to adequately calculate and check parameters related to the risk of suction and entrapment at the suction outlets. Subsequently, the investigative agency changed the charge from "Unintentional Homicide due to Violation of Professional Rules" to "Violation of Regulations on Construction Causing Serious Consequences" under Article 298 of the Penal Code. Source: VnExpress