A Chinese man was convicted after it was discovered that he conspired with his cousin to kill his own seven-year-old son. Reportedly, he did so after discovering his wife’s affair.
Although the incident occurred in 2020, the case recently came to light after the Fujian Provincial Court released its details, reported the South China Morning Post (SCMP). Zhang, from Sanming city in Fujian province, conspired with his cousin, a truck driver, and killed his own son by staging a car crash.
The case has drawn widespread attention, including on Chinese social media. As per the outlet, slamming the convicted, an individual wrote, “There is an old saying in China, ‘Even a tiger will not eat its own cub.’ Zhang is inhuman, selfish, and greedy; he doesn’t deserve to be a father.”
What had happened?
According to reports, Zhang frequently argued with his wife over infidelity and financial issues. In order to take revenge, he devised a plan to kill his biological son and take the insurance payout.
On the fateful day, he parked his car on the side of the road and asked his son to get out and wait there. Moments later, his cousin crashed into the car with his truck, instantly killing the kid.
As per the court documents, as the outlet reported, Zhang was seen cradling his son’s lifeless body in front of the police. The cousin claimed that he was distracted, which caused the accident. However, none of them told the police that they were related.
Initially, the court ordered the cousin to pay Zhang, and most of the money was supposed to be covered by the two insurance policies that the trucker’s employers had taken out. Zhang received an 80,000 yuan ($12,000) payout and paid 30,000 yuan to his cousin.
However, during the investigation, the other insurers discovered that the trucker had forged her papers, and the payout was rejected. Upon this, a local court ordered the cousin’s employer and the truck owner, Luo, to pay the money to Zhang.
Luo went to the police with a friend, Ye. He said that Ye knew about Zhang’s plan but didn’t get involved. Eventually, upon investigation, the authorities discovered the truth.
How were the men charged?
Zhang received a death sentence. However, he later appealed for a reduced sentence. The court didn’t disclose the final ruling regarding him. His cousin was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve. He was also fined 30,000 yuan.
