Woman jailed for abuse of 7-year-old

A stepmother surnamed Sun who abused her 7-year-old son was sentenced to 16 years in prison for intentional injury and abuse at Linwei District People's Court in Shaanxi province on Tuesday.

During the trial, Sun, from Weinan, Shaanxi, said she had "disciplined" her son, Pengpeng, by binding him with electric wire and hitting him with a bamboo stick, but refused to explain the boy's severe injuries, including multiple skull fractures and a detached retina, according to thepaper.cn.

Deng Xueping, Pengpeng's attorney agent, said the boy suffered long-term abuse and assault, which led to serious injury and his current persistent vegetative state.