DNA test suggests recovery of Vietnam woman’s body dumped into river last year Dr. Nguyen Manh Tuong (L) and his accomplice, Dao Quang Khanh, at their trial on April 14, 2014 in Hanoi. The Hanoi People’s Court suspended the hearing the same day, asking the investigation agency to clarify some important issues. Tuoi Tre DNA testing has shown one of the bodies collected from a river in Hanoi last month is likely the remains of a woman whose corpse was dumped by a doctor into the river following her post-surgery death at a local beauty shop last year, Vietnam’s police announced on Monday. Test results from the Ministry of Public Security’s Institute of Criminal Science indicate that a DNA sample taken from one of several bodies local residents found floating on the Hong (Red) River in the capital city on July 18 matches those of the woman’s mother and daughter, police said. But police have yet to arrive at any final conclusion on the recovery of the woman’s corpse that has not been found since she died in 2013. Le Thi Thanh Huyen died post-surgery at the age of 37 at Cat Tuong Beauty Salon after she had an operation there on October 19, 2013. According to the case file, Huyen came to the salon on that day to have an abdominal liposuction and breast lift surgery. After being anesthetized, she underwent aesthetic operations performed by Dr. Nguyen Manh Tuong, 41, the owner of the salon, from 12:00 pm until 4:00 pm. Thirty minutes after the surgery, Huyen had difficulty breathing and started foaming at the mouth. Dr. Tuong gave her an injection and she appeared to recover. But at 5:45 pm, Huyen’s body suddenly turned blue and her blood pressure could not be measured. Dr. Tuong then put Huyen on a respirator and gave her a cardiotonic but could not save her. Dr. Tuong and Dao Quang Khanh, a security guard at his salon, carried Huyen’s body into the doctor’s car to Thanh Tri Bridge and threw it into the Hong River. After investigation, police arrested Dr. Tuong and Khanh on October 22 last year. Before his arrest, Dr. Tuong worked as a doctor at Hanoi-based Bach Mai Hospital. Police also concluded that Khanh had stolen an iPhone 5 from Huyen’s handbag. Based on Dr. Tuong’s testimonies to investigators, Huyen’s family and competent agencies have spent a lot of time and effort searching for the body. Police have charged Dr. Tuong with “breaching regulations on medical examination and treatment, drug production, preparations, supply and sale or other medical services” and “interfering with human corpses, graves, and/or remains.” Meanwhile, Khanh has been indicted for “interfering with human corpses, graves, and/or remains” and “stealing property.” The Hanoi People’s Court opened a trial for the two defendants on April 14, 2014 but delayed it the same day and returned the case file to the investigation agency for clarification of some professional issues related to the woman’s death. No court hearing has ever conducted again ever since. Tuoi tre news