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Four 'left-behind' children in China die of poisoning after being abandoned Four 'left-behind' children in China die of poisoning after being abandoned
(about 4 hours later)
Police in China are investigating the death of four impoverished siblings who reportedly drank pesticide after being abandoned by their parents, a tragedy exposing the hardships facing millions of so-called “left-behind” children.Police in China are investigating the death of four impoverished siblings who reportedly drank pesticide after being abandoned by their parents, a tragedy exposing the hardships facing millions of so-called “left-behind” children.
The children – one boy and three girls aged between five and 13 – were found on Tuesday night in Bijie, a city in the south-western province of Guizhou, according to Xinhua, China’s official news agency.The children – one boy and three girls aged between five and 13 – were found on Tuesday night in Bijie, a city in the south-western province of Guizhou, according to Xinhua, China’s official news agency.
Both parents were migrant workers who had abandoned one of the country’s poorest regions to seek employment, it reported.Both parents were migrant workers who had abandoned one of the country’s poorest regions to seek employment, it reported.
The children had dropped out of school one month ago and had virtually no food “because they are too poor”, Zhang Shigui, a relative, was quoted as saying.The children had dropped out of school one month ago and had virtually no food “because they are too poor”, Zhang Shigui, a relative, was quoted as saying.
The children’s father had left a contact number but it had not been possible to reach him, Zhang added.The children’s father had left a contact number but it had not been possible to reach him, Zhang added.
Police said they were investigating the precise causes of the children’s deaths but Xinhua suggested they had deliberated poisoned themselves. Police said they were investigating the precise causes of the children’s deaths but Xinhua suggested they had deliberately poisoned themselves.
The tragedy is not the first of its kind to hit Bijie, a notoriously deprived city that is 1,120 miles (1,802km) south-west of Beijing and has around 8.5 million residents.The tragedy is not the first of its kind to hit Bijie, a notoriously deprived city that is 1,120 miles (1,802km) south-west of Beijing and has around 8.5 million residents.
On the night of November 15, 2012 – the same day Xi Jinping became leader of China’s Communist party – another group of left-behind children took shelter from the cold in a rubbish bin.On the night of November 15, 2012 – the same day Xi Jinping became leader of China’s Communist party – another group of left-behind children took shelter from the cold in a rubbish bin.
The next morning, an elderly lady found the bodies of those five boys – aged 13, 12, 11 and nine. They had died of carbon monoxide poisoning after lighting a fire inside the bin to keep warm.The next morning, an elderly lady found the bodies of those five boys – aged 13, 12, 11 and nine. They had died of carbon monoxide poisoning after lighting a fire inside the bin to keep warm.
“These children wandered the streets for three weeks, but no helping hand was extended,” Caixin, a current affairs magazine, argued at the time, warning: “The tragedy in Bijie is bound to happen again.”“These children wandered the streets for three weeks, but no helping hand was extended,” Caixin, a current affairs magazine, argued at the time, warning: “The tragedy in Bijie is bound to happen again.”
The latest deaths have again highlighted the plight of the estimated 60 million children who are left behind – often without proper supervision – when their parents leave their rural villages to find jobs in China’s booming cities.The latest deaths have again highlighted the plight of the estimated 60 million children who are left behind – often without proper supervision – when their parents leave their rural villages to find jobs in China’s booming cities.
“The kids in both cases were left-behind children who had dropped out of school and had been left at home,” said Li Yuanlong, a local journalist who was detained in 2012 after reporting on the five children’s deaths.“The kids in both cases were left-behind children who had dropped out of school and had been left at home,” said Li Yuanlong, a local journalist who was detained in 2012 after reporting on the five children’s deaths.
“I think there must be problems at every level of society for this tragedy to have repeated itself. Had the parents, the school and village folk … paid more attention to them and cared more about them, such deaths could have been prevented,” he added.“I think there must be problems at every level of society for this tragedy to have repeated itself. Had the parents, the school and village folk … paid more attention to them and cared more about them, such deaths could have been prevented,” he added.
Related: China struggles with mental health problems of 'left-behind' childrenRelated: China struggles with mental health problems of 'left-behind' children
Experts say nearly 50% of China’s left-behind children suffer from depression and anxiety, compared with 30% of children in cities.Experts say nearly 50% of China’s left-behind children suffer from depression and anxiety, compared with 30% of children in cities.
Li Yuanlong said Bijie officials had promised to take action to protect the city’s youth. “[But] all those measures publicised by the local authorities after the 2012 case – the help lines and the others policies – stopped working long ago,” he said. “It’s very heartbreaking – but it’s not completely unforeseeable.”Li Yuanlong said Bijie officials had promised to take action to protect the city’s youth. “[But] all those measures publicised by the local authorities after the 2012 case – the help lines and the others policies – stopped working long ago,” he said. “It’s very heartbreaking – but it’s not completely unforeseeable.”
“There must be something wrong with our child protection system, otherwise this wouldn’t have happened again,” said Chen Fucai, an expert on child welfare from the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences.“There must be something wrong with our child protection system, otherwise this wouldn’t have happened again,” said Chen Fucai, an expert on child welfare from the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences.
“Unless we have a proper child protection system, similar tragedies will repeat themselves whether it be in Bijie, in Shanghai or in Guangzhou.”“Unless we have a proper child protection system, similar tragedies will repeat themselves whether it be in Bijie, in Shanghai or in Guangzhou.”
Additional reporting by Luna LinAdditional reporting by Luna Lin