Slapped and smothered by pillow: Details of Phoebe Huang's alleged domestic abuse by ex-husband revealed through injury examination report

Taiwanese actress Phoebe Huang has been embroiled in legal battles with her Canadian actor-presenter former husband Christopher Downs since he filed for divorce in 2022.

A domestic violence charge filed by Phoebe against 52-year-old Christopher — also known as Xia Keli in Taiwan where he was formerly based — was dropped by a Vancouver court in 2023, but evidence obtained by Taiwanese media paints a different picture.

Mirror Media obtained photos of Phoebe's injuries and her injury examination reports from Canada, where the couple resided for a period of time, and Taiwan, where divorce proceedings are taking place. The publication could not share them as they are considered court evidence.

According to the report from St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver, the 50-year-old said that her then-husband "slapped her three times and grabbed her right arm and the left side of her face".

The report added that red marks were visible on her right arm.

"She also said that her husband pushed her and covered her face with a pillow for 10 seconds," the report continued.

"It is said that he had suffocated her many times in the past and rendered her unable to breathe."

Mirror Media interviewed a neighbour of Phoebe and Christopher, only referred to as Dong, who allegedly noticed the former actress crying on the streets with an obvious slap mark across her face.

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Phoebe told her that Christopher had become angry with her and hit her.

While she was driving Phoebe to the hospital, Dong said that she received a threatening call from Christopher, which Phoebe also heard over the Bluetooth speakers.

"Christopher said in an agitated tone that he was looking for Phoebe, he believed Phoebe was next to me and that if he found her, he would kill her," Dong alleged.

Dong said that, after a thorough examination, the hospital notified the authorities and asked her to let Phoebe stay over at her place for the night. The next day, police conducted an investigation and Christopher was arrested.

In response to Dong's allegations, Christopher told Mirror Media: "I think Phoebe Huang and the people in Canada are uniting against me. I welcome her to come forward and speak out because there was no domestic violence at all and they have no evidence.

"Please continue speaking so that I can sue her."

Lang Tzu-yun stood by Phoebe's side

Mirror Media also spoke to Taiwanese actress Lang Tzu-yun, who introduced Phoebe to a Canadian lawyer when Christopher filed for divorce following his arrest.

The 58-year-old told the publication that she knew of further instances of domestic violence by Christopher against Phoebe.

"He would hit her chest with his elbow so that the injury could not be detected," Tzu-yun claimed, adding that she and her friends also heard Christopher call Phoebe a "lying b****" and "whore" in public.

Tzu-yun said: "No one should be treated like this."

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drimac@asiaone.com