Mourning Father Calls for Death Penalty for Three Children Who Bludgeoned His 13-Year-Old Son to Death

The Death penalty is a controversial topic with which many people disagree. However, one heartbroken father from China is calling for just that. After his son was beaten to death by classmates, the bereaving father spoke out on Douyin—a platform similar to TikTok, to share his plight.

Requesting the Death Penalty

Three students ages 12-14, are facing the possibility of the death penalty, following their acts of violence and bullying. Apparently, the three students had been bullying the boy, Wang, for a month leading up to his death and robbed him before his death.

After they beat him to death “beyond recognition,” they buried his lifeless body in an abandoned greenhouse. The grieving father shared his feelings on social media. “He was beaten alive and his body was disfigured beyond recognition”, he wrote. “I hope the government will be fair, open and just, punish them severely, and that the killers will pay with their lives.”

Challenging Legal Decisions

While the events of this case are heartbreaking and disturbing, they’ve presented China with another obstacle. China is now having to evaluate how its laws impact violent crimes committed by children. In 2021, Bejing lowered the age of “criminal responsibility” to 12-years-old. Likely partially inspired by a 2019 case in which a 13-year-old boy confessed to the murder and sexual assault of a 10-year-old girl. He was released under the law because, at the time, it stated anyone under 14 couldn’t be criminally responsible.

Accompanying this new law was a declaration that children could be tried in “special cases.” For example, if a murder is committed through “extremely cruel means.” Therefore, there is a chance that these three kids may face the death penalty.

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Identifying the Heartbreaking Events

Police were able to identify the boy’s three classmates with the help of CCTV footage. According to the footage, the last sighting of Wang was on March 10. The boy was riding a scooter and surrounded by the three kids who would ultimately end his life. His family became concerned when he didn’t come home, and his phone died. Within 24 hours, police located his body in the abandoned greenhouse and “crudely covered” in a tarp. The police began combing through social media posts and interviewing other classmates, hoping to better understand the events that unfolded—ultimately confirming Wang’s family’s claims regarding how his three bullies had treated him leading up to his death. Investigators noted on March 18th that the “burial pit” had been dug out more than once, sparking the discussion regarding premeditated murder.

Yet Another Tough Topic

According to Chinese media reports, the three bullies facing the death penalty are “left behind,” a common practice in China. The practice in which children are left with grandparents while their parents go to other parts of the country to work. Despite not working directly on this case, Zhang Dongshuo, a defense attorney in Beijing, has commented on the matter. He explained that “left-behind” children have long been a “social issue” throughout China regarding how they should be raised. “Many people think schools and the government should take responsibility for children’s education, but that means if the relevant government departments and schools don’t educate them effectively, then it’s highly likely this minor is left in an educational vacuum,” he disclosed.

He also shed some light on the difficulties surrounding charging a child as an adult. And whether or not these three should be considered for the death penalty. According to Zhang, the issue of children committing crimes is relatively new, considering China’s rich and extensive history. “Generally speaking, these kinds of cases involving minors are rare,” Zhang said. “But recently more and more of these cases have been reported by the media, and it’s been triggering discussion in Chinese society over revising the age of criminal responsibility.”

Professional Take on the Death Penalty

The country’s top public prosecutor is rumored to have been brought in to help determine whether or not the death penalty should be considered for this case. “While handling cases strictly in accordance with the law, the procuratorial organs will… further strengthen the prevention and treatment of juvenile crimes,” according to the prosecutor’s office. In China, murder is punishable by way of the death penalty or life in prison. In contrast, the case details are astonishing and rare, and China is thoroughly investigating the matter to ensure the utmost care is handled, seemingly including monitoring the public’s opinion.

Due to the sensitivity of the content, the Chinese government and media have asked citizens to refrain from gossiping about the case to respect the victim’s privacy. The request follows the claims that the family wasn’t allowed to see the boy’s body. However, his father clarified that they were granted access to see his son one last time.

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