13-year-old dropout accused of raping infant (Shanghai Daily) Updated: 2005-11-02 08:51
An 18-month-old girl was recovering from surgery in hospital yesterday after
she was allegedly raped by a 13-year-old boy in Pudong.
The boy, who can't be named, is in police custody. But authorities wouldn't
say how they plan to proceed with the case. Under Chinese law, people under the
age of 14 are exempt from any criminal punishment.
The girl, who police identified by the pseudonym Xiao Yun, underwent surgery
for genital injuries on Monday at Shanghai Children's Medical Center. Doctors
said her injuries were serious, but said they won't affect her future life as
she is expected to fully recover.
"Due to her young age, the girl will not have any psychological problems when
she grows up as long as there is no exterior provocation," said surgeon Chen
Qimin.
The incident occurred in Tongji Village in Sanlin Town.
The boy is a Shanghai native while Xiao Yun and her parents moved to the city
from Anhui Province in October, 2004.
Xiao Yun disappeared at about 3pm on Monday after playing outside her
building.
"We searched everywhere nearby but couldn't find her. Then someone told us a
child was heard crying in the boy's home," said her grandfather. "So we went
over to his residence and started knocking at the door."
The boy allegedly opened the door about a minute later and the adults
immediately rushed in and discovered the baby lying on the ground. Her
midsection was covered in blood.
"He claimed he did not do anything and explained that the baby had a fall,"
said the grandfather.
Police were soon called in and took the boy to a nearby police station for
questioning.
The boy's father told reporters he and his wife are both illiterate and their
son has dropped out of school. "He did commit some minor thefts before, but how
could we expect that he would do this," said the father, a street
cleaner.
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