Abusive parents sentenced in Liaoning

A woman surnamed Liu was sentenced to three years in prison for intentionally injuring and abusing her 6-year-old daughter, a court in Northeast China's Liaoning province announced on Wednesday.

Liu's boyfriend, surnamed Chen, was also given a 16-year sentence for the same charges after the Xinfu District People's Court in Fushun, Liaoning identified him as the principal offender in the case.

Chen was also ordered to pay more than 202,000 yuan ($31,329) to the girl, surnamed Tong, in compensation.

The court said in a statement Chen frequently tortured and abused Tong when living with Liu from February to May last year, and Liu as the girl's guardian did not take effective measures to stop and prevent the harm and even participated in the abuse herself.

In May 2020, Chen deliberately set the water temperature to the highest and lowest levels to torment Tong when she was in the shower, scalding her, and the two adults did not take the child to hospital until finding her wound had gotten infected.

Both Chen and Liu pleaded guilty, saying they would not appeal.

"Chen could not be leniently punished, as his criminal means were extremely cruel, the circumstance of his offenses were extremely bad and his motive was deeply vicious," the court said.

Considering Liu was not the principal offender and confessed to the crimes voluntarily, the court gave her a lenient punishment.