The deputy chairwoman of Van Mieu Ward in Hanoi’s Dong Da District has been suspended after her bossy attitude toward the family of a deceased man was made public in a viral Facebook post.

On Wednesday, Dong Da authorities issued a three-day suspension to Nguyen Thi Thuy Ha, deputy chairwoman of Van Mieu following her mistreatment of a bereaved family.

“The suspension was made to clear the way for an ongoing inspection of recent events,” said Nguyen Song Hao, chairman of Dong Da District.

Ha has been in the media spotlight since Tuesday, when a viral Facebook post by an angered woman claimed Van Mieu Ward officials had given her the cold shoulder while trying to obtain a death certificate for her deceased father.

The woman, identified as a local named Hoa, recounted the details of her arduous ‘journey’ to the ward’s office on July 19 to declare the death of her father who had passed away the previous night.

According to Hoa’s Facebook post, her papers were received by a public servant named Hieu who told her that a death certificate would not be available until later that afternoon, as the ward officials were “all busy with meetings.”

When Hoa returned at the designated time, she was told that the officials were “still out.”

Without a death certificate, Hoa would be unable to make arrangements with a local funeral home, thus she suggested that her papers be submitted to another official present at the office.

However, the suggestion was dismissed as “only one person has the authority to sign this kind of paper.”

When Hoa returned for a third time that afternoon, this time accompanied by a family member, she said Hieu continued with his “bossy attitude," prompting an argument between Hieu and the bereaved family members.

At that moment, Nguyen Thi Thuy Ha emerged from a back office and called the grieving family members “uncultured,” and threatened to have them removed by security.

Vu Mai Khanh, chairwoman of Van Mieu Ward, confirmed the incident to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Tuesday night, though she dismissed Hoa’s story as not completely accurate.

According to Khanh, she was occupied with meetings until 3:00 pm that day. Meanwhile, two of the ward’s legal officials were attending a district meeting on dengue fever prevention, leaving no one to sign the death certificate.

“I was present at the office during [the argument], so I know that Ha only mentioned calling security and police to maintain order after one of the women began throwing insults at ward leaders,” Khanh said.

According to Dong Da District chairman Hao, the public servant directly responsible for receiving Hoa’s papers was transferred to another position following the ordeal.

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