Singapore mystery hits close to home

The mysterious death of a Marion couple’s oldest son in Singapore last June finally is getting national and international attention that could spur some answers for these grieving parents.

The death of one’s own child under any circumstances is tragic, and not knowing how that death occurred adds another layer of pain and frustration. After many months of having their pleas for answers fall on deaf ears, Rick and Mary Todd in recent days have been making the rounds in the national media circuit to draw attention to their son Shane’s death.

Shane was a bright and talented electrical engineer who was working in Singapore, heading a team that was developing advanced technologies on a semiconductor material considered superior to silicon. Singapore police said Shane committed suicide; his parents believe he was murdered because his employer was using him to help China get its hands on the technology.

We applaud Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester for meeting this week with the ambassador to Singapore. The Todds’ goal is to prompt a full congressional investigation into Shane’s death.

Apparently there has been resistance by Singapore authorities to allow the FBI to launch a proper investigation, but we hope enough pressure can be applied by the U.S. government to uncover what really happened. Shane had confided to his parents he was worried his work was jeopardizing U.S. national security. That in itself suggests that congressional hearings may be necessary to get to the bottom of the matter.

And while it’s important for the Todds to know how their gifted 31-year-old son perished, they say they also want to alert other parents so no other family has to endure the excruciating grief they’re bearing. We hope and pray the truth one day will be told in this case, and for the Todds’ sake, the sooner the better.

Thank you, Winter Classic

NFL and college football stars and even Monte the UM Grizzlies mascot can be spotted around Whitefish this weekend.

The occasion is the Whitefish Winter Classic, the annual event that benefits For the Children Inc., a nonprofit charity that assists children who need medical care outside the Flathead Valley. This is the 28th annual Winter Classic, which raises around $50,000 each year

For its continued success, we need to thank not only founder Doug Betters (a former Montana Grizzly and Miami Dolphin player) but also the many volunteers and donors who make it happen.

Editorials represent the majority opinion of the Daily Inter Lake’s editorial board.