Woman Given Suspended Death Sentence for Fatally Abusing 3-year-old Boy

A woman has been given a suspended death sentence for fatally abusing a 3-year-old boy in Shanghai, a local court said today.

The Shanghai No.1 Intermediate People's Court found the defendant, Zhao Yudie, guilty of both abuse and intentional injury. She was sentenced to two years in prison for abuse and to death with a two-year reprieve for intentional injury, along with lifelong deprivation of political rights.

The victim was the son of Zhao's boyfriend. According to the court, Zhao repeatedly assaulted the child between July and August 2024 while living with the family, citing the boy's "disobedience" as the reason. The abuse included beating his back, legs and buttocks, as well as biting his legs.

On August 24, 2024, Zhao escalated the violence at a public park in Shanghai's Pudong New Area, striking the child's head and face, beating him with a tree branch and kicking him. She also lifted and threw him from a slope onto the ground, causing his head to hit the surface.

The boy later collapsed at home and was taken to hospital, but died on September 4 despite treatment. A forensic examination found he died from severe cranial injuries caused by blunt force trauma, along with multiple other injuries across his body.

Zhao was arrested on August 29, 2024, the court said.

The court ruled that although Zhao did not intend to cause the child's death, she knowingly carried out violent acts that led to the fatal outcome, constituting intentional injury resulting in death. Under Chinese law, such offenses carry penalties ranging from long-term imprisonment to the death penalty.

The court also said there was no evidence that the child's father was involved in, or aware of, the abuse.