Taiwanese singer Yu Tian and his wife, singer Li Ya-ping, are seeking guardianship of their two grandchildren after the detention of their son-in-law, Gary Chen. Chen, the husband of their late daughter Yu Yuan-chi, is currently in custody following his arrest in late April for suspected involvement in a scam syndicate. On June 24, the New Taipei District Prosecutors Office charged him with fraud and money laundering.
Yuan-chi, who passed away from cancer at the age of 39 in August 2022, left behind a six-year-old daughter and a four-year-old son with Chen. Concerned for their grandchildren’s well-being, Yu Tian and Li Ya-ping appeared at Shilin District Court in Taipei on June 24 to discuss guardianship arrangements. After a mediation session, they told the media they had spoken with Chen via video conference.
“We hope to raise the two children at our home, and Gary is still considering it,” Yu Tian, 76, said. “We haven’t reached a resolution today, and there may be another round of mediation.”
Li Ya-ping, 74, known for her hit song “Wake Up, Lei Meng Na,” expressed their intent to support Chen despite his alleged crimes. “Maybe he was confused this time and resorted to other means,” she said. “We will try to help him and hope he does not need to worry about the children.”
Yu Tian added that they were unsure about their daughter’s financial status after her death but noted that Chen had not asked them for money to raise the children. They were also unaware of reports suggesting Chen might have a new partner.
Earlier in June, Li mentioned that their grandchildren had briefly stayed with them after Chen’s arrest but returned home the next day. The children are currently being looked after by a domestic helper employed by Yuan-chi before her death.
“We are suggesting the children come to our house so that we can take care of them since there is no one overseeing them currently,” Yu Tian said. “Gary can visit them anytime if the children are staying with us.”
