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A tragic case in Henan province has captured public attention after a mother was sentenced for abandoning her toddler, who suffered brain injuries during a family dispute.
In May 2021, a woman surnamed Xu, from Shangcheng county in Xinyang, Henan, got into a heated argument with her mother-in-law over family matters. During the altercation, Xu accidentally dropped her two-month-old son, causing a traumatic intracranial hemorrhage. The dispute also resulted in her mother-in-law dislocating her shoulder, classified as a minor injury under legal standards.
Following the incident, Xu moved with her two sons to Nantong, Jiangsu province, seeking employment. However, faced with overwhelming financial challenges, Xu made the fateful decision to abandon her injured younger son. On September 22, 2022, she left the boy in a tricycle, where he was discovered the next morning by passers-by who alerted authorities.
On November 13, 2024, the Shangcheng County People’s Court found Xu guilty of intentional injury and abandonment. She received a one-year prison sentence, suspended for one and a half years.
Details about the toddler’s current health and treatment remain undisclosed, adding to the public's concern.
The case has ignited passionate discussions online, with opinions divided. Many netizens condemned Xu’s actions, calling them inhumane. One commenter wrote, “Even a tiger does not harm its cubs; she is worse than a tiger.”
However, others expressed sympathy for Xu, arguing that systemic pressures and the absence of the child’s father might have driven her to desperation. One netizen remarked, “This woman must have been overwhelmed. Taking both children with her for work instead of leaving them behind shows she tried to be a good mother, but the burden became too much.”
Another highlighted the lack of the father’s involvement, stating, “Where was the child’s father? Why was the mother left alone to care for two children, one of whom was ill?”
