iPhone Factory Worker In China Commits Suicide Over Missing Device

July 22, 2009 4:08 p.m. EST

Beijing, China (AHN) - A worker of an iPhone factory in China has committed suicide apparently because his company suspected him of stealing one unit of the popular mobile device.

Sun Danyong, 25, jumped to his death from the window of his apartment located on the 12th floor early morning on July 16. The suicide happened hours after Sun's superiors at Foxconn, the iPhone plant's owner, searched his apartment for a missing Apple device and interrogated him.

The victim's classmates at the renowned Harbin Institute of Technology were quoted by local media as saying that Sun told them the search of his apartment and the interrogation was humiliating.

Foxconn has issued an apology over the mistreatment of Sun and suspended the head of his department while police investigate the allegations of Sun's classmates.

Sun had packed 16 iPhones at the plant in Shenzen for shipment to Apple representatives. But one was missing when he delivered the package on July 10.

Sun looked for the missing iPhone but did not find it so he reported it to management three days later. The company then investigated him.