Hanoi woman detained after assaulting neighbor over complaints of son's behaviors

Nguyen Thi Van Anh, 44, has been placed under criminal detention on suspicion of verbally abusing, pulling the other woman's hair and slapping her during a confrontation at an apartment building.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Hanoi Police Department said its Investigation Police Agency had temporarily detained Anh for "disturbing public order".

Initial police assessments indicated that the victim suffered a concussion and soft-tissue injuries to the head and chest wall. However, forensic examination later found no visible injuries, bruising or swelling, and assessed the injury rate at 0%.

Police said although the victim did not sustain serious physical injuries, the incident negatively affected public opinion and disrupted security and public order in the area.

Investigators said the dispute stemmed from complaints about the behavior of Anh's son, a sixth-grade student, who was reported to have frequently rung neighbors' doorbells, banged on doors and teased residents in the building.

The victim, identified as Hang, lives in the apartment next door to Anh's family in the CT5-ĐN2 building on Tran Huu Duc Street in My Dinh 2 Ward. She had raised the issue in the apartment complex's group chat, which reportedly angered Anh.

At around 8 p.m. last Thursday, as Hang returned home from work and reached her apartment door, Anh and her husband called out to her asking whether she had "any opinions" about their family. Before she could respond, Anh allegedly rushed out, shouted insults and slapped Hang in the face.

As the victim stepped backward, she was further attacked, with her hair pulled and her head struck repeatedly. The altercation reportedly lasted about five minutes.

Speaking to VnExpress, Hang said she had lived in the building since 2017 and had frequently experienced disturbances. In addition to harassment by Anh's son, she said the neighboring family often left dozens of pairs of shoes scattered in the hallway and regularly sang karaoke at high volume.

She said she had reported the situation to building management and the local residents' committee, but the matter was not resolved. To gather evidence and protect herself, she installed a camera outside her apartment door.

Hang said she and her child plan to rent another apartment after she is discharged from hospital, as they remain fearful of further conflict.