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Two teenagers in northern China received lengthy prison terms for the brutal murder of their 13-year-old classmate in March, a case that has reignited public debate on juvenile crime and the adequacy of punishment for underage offenders.
A court in Handan, Hebei province, sentenced Zhang, the principal offender, to life imprisonment, while his accomplice, Li, received 12 years for intentional homicide. A third suspect, Ma, who was present at the crime scene but did not participate in the killing, was placed in special correctional education due to his age, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
The murder, described by the court as "particularly cruel" and "heinous," shocked the nation. On March 10, the body of the victim, surnamed Wang, was discovered buried in a shallow pit in an abandoned greenhouse on the city’s outskirts. Zhang and Li, both 13 at the time, lured Wang to the location, attacked him with a shovel, and buried him afterward.
The crime highlighted the vulnerabilities of "left-behind children" - a term for minors whose parents work as migrant laborers in faraway cities, leaving them under the care of grandparents or relatives. Studies estimate nearly 67 million such children in China, often facing increased risks of mental health issues, bullying, and exposure to criminal behavior. All four involved in the case were reportedly children of migrant workers.
In 2021, China lowered the age of criminal responsibility to 12 for certain serious crimes, such as intentional homicide, allowing prosecutors to pursue criminal charges with approval. However, the law exempts minors from the death penalty, sparking debate about whether current laws adequately deter heinous crimes committed by juveniles.
The sentencing announcement triggered widespread anger on social media. Many netizens argued the punishments were too lenient given the severity of the crime. One comment, which garnered thousands of likes, read:
"Digging a pit beforehand, striking the classmate to death with a shovel, and burying the body - this is cruelty beyond words. Just because they’re minors, they escape the death penalty? The life sentence will likely be reduced, and the 12-year term means they'll walk free in their twenties, while their victim lies forever beneath the grass. Why is this fair?"
Others highlighted how the case reflects the escalation of bullying into extreme violence. One user remarked, "The Handan case is a landmark in understanding how school bullying can evolve into murder. We must never forget Wang Ziyao and should strive to protect victims of bullying."
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