Teenager allegedly beaten to death by 'teachers'

(chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2009-08-03 15:20

A teenage boy died after he was reportedly beaten while at the Guangzhou Lizhi Training Center for Youth Growth in Nanning, the capital of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, cnr.cn, China National Radio website reported on Monday.

However, cnr.cn did not give a source for the report, and the hospital records showing how Deng died were not available.

The boy, whose surname was Deng, was reportedly sent to the center on Saturday afternoon by his parents. He was to stay one month, from August 1st to September 1st, in order to “get away from bad behaviors, regain confidence and establish positive life attitudes,” according to an agreement Deng’s parents signed with the center. Specifically, Deng’s parents wanted the center to help treat their son’s internet addiction.

The Center, which now has about 100 students, charged 7,000 yuan (US$1,024) and promised to “take care of Deng, and supervise the teenager 24 hours a day in the first few days of the training”.

The agreement also stated that “the Center can take necessary means like punishments to educate the teenager, as long as the means are not abusive.” But Deng was allegedly locked in a room by the center’s teachers the night he arrived, and apparently died around 3:00am Sunday morning.

The police have detained several suspects, and the case is now under investigation.