Police in north China's Shanxi Province disclosed on Wednesday night details of a horrifyingcase in which the eyes of a 6-year-old boy were gouged out, in response to mountingdoubts over the police's accusation his late aunt was the suspect.
Zhang Huiying, 41, the boy's aunt, was identified by police as the suspect based oninvestigations and DNA test results on Tuesday. She jumped in a well at her home and diedon Aug. 30.
But many people, including the boy's relatives, doubted the authenticity of the accusationwith conflicting information circulating on the Internet and in media reports.
On Aug. 24, the boy, Guo Bin, was lured by an unknown woman with yellow-dyed hair intoa field, where she gouged out his eyes, according to initial media reports.
While according to Zhang Liqing, a senior police officer from Linfen municipal publicsecurity bureau, Guo insisted it was a woman with black and long hair who attacked him.
Many people are curious why the boy could not recognize his own aunt.
"I asked the boy if the woman looked like his aunt. He first said yes but later, no," saidZhang.
"A traumatized child is not in a stable mood after an incident. He could only confirm it wasa woman," Zhang added.
An examination of a purple shirt with dozens of bloodstains found at the scene on Aug. 30showed that it contained DNA of both Guo and Zhang, according to Han Zhihui, a criminalinvestigation expert with the bureau.
Zhang Huiying was also not one of the 12 people who tried to give the boy emergency aid,according to the police.
"Witnesses have also confirmed a woman in a purple shirt took the boy away," said ZhangLiqing.
The investigation had proved that the shirt was left by Zhang Huiying and she was the onlyperson to wear it, said Han.
The details from the police seemed not strong enough to convince the public.
"It is not proper and against procedure to ask a victim if the suspect looked like a specificperson. It is more likely a presumption of guilt," commented Xiaotianmi on Sina Weibo, atwitter-like microblogging service.
"You can not say a person who did not take part in an emergency aid is the suspect," wroteanother comment.
Doubts still linger as the motive of the boy's aunt is still unclear.
There were reports saying Zhang Huiying had a dispute with Guo's parents over the careof senior members of the family.
While Guo Zhiping, the boy's father, told Xinhua on Wednesday evening that "we havesound relations with each other."x A medical report from the Shanxi Ophthalmic Hospitalwhere the boy was treated showed that Guo's eyelids were cut with a sharp instrument asthe wounds were straight incisions. But the boy said the woman was using a wooden stickto gouge his eyes, according to a local media report quoting his father.
The police said the criminal motive of Zhang Huiying may not be known as she had died.
The public has called for more details from the police to disperse the doubts over the case.
The boy's tragic experience led to national concern. As of Wednesday, his family hadreceived one million yuan (162,085 U.S. dollars) in donations, according to media reports.
The boy's eyelids have healed and the hospital will implant a pair of artificial eyes (ocularprosthesis) in a month's time, Jia Yading, director of Shanxi Ophthalmic Hospital toldXinhua on Wednesday.
"The artificial eyes cannot restore his sight," Jia said, who is also the head of thetherapeutic team responsible for Guo's treatment.
All his medical expenses will be exempted by the hospital.
Hong Kong-based eye expert Dennis Lam said earlier his team would provide freetreatment to the boy.
Lam told Xinhua on Wednesday that the boy is likely to restore partial sight within five toten years thanks to electronic eye technology.
Lam is still waiting for consent from the child's parents to bring Guo to his eye hospital.
Meanwhile, Taiyuan Deaf-mutes School based in the provincial capital of Taiyuanannounced on Wednesday it will offer the boy free education when he is able to go toschool.
Donations flowing into the family
Guo has been hospitalized and in stable condition at Shanxi Eye Hospital. Doctors in chargeof treatment said he would be blind for the rest of his life, although the eyes had beenrecovered.
Donations have been flowing into the family since reports of the attack hit the headlines. Sofar, warmhearted people in different walks of life have donated 160,000 yuan to the boy.
One of the Hong Kong eye surgeons said he would perform the operation on Guo Bin forfree, according to Guo's mother. Guo's uncle said family pins the hope to the power of hightechnology to bring sight back to the boy.[Full Text]
Police name attacker who took boy's eyes
DNA tests show that Guo Bin's blood was found on his aunt’s clothing, according to police.Guo Bin’s aunt, Zhang Huiying, who has committed suicide, was identified as the assailantby combining the DNA test with other police investigations. [Full Text]
Boy may have artificial eyes soon
Guo Bin, 6, whose eyes were gouged out in an attack by an unknown assailant in Fenxicounty, Shanxi province, is expected to have ocular prosthesis, or artificial eyes, implantedin three months, doctors said. The boy is in stable condition but still doesn't know about hisloss of eyesight, said the boy's father, Guo Zhiping. [Full Text]
China police hunt for woman gouging boy's eyes
Police in north China's Shanxi Province are on a manhunt for a woman who gouged outtheeyes of a six-year-old boy.
The Public Security Bureau in Fenxi County posted on Tuesday a public notice offeringanaward of 100,000 yuan (16,129 U.S. dollars) for tips leading to the capture of thecriminal.[Full Text]
Background
A 6-year-old boy's eyes were removed in Shanxi province. Guo Bin, whose parents arefarmers, was discovered missing at 6 pm, when he usually returns from playing outside toeat dinner.
Five hours later, a man who had returned from catching scorpions in the local mountainssaid he had seen what was possibly a boy twitching in the valley.
In the previous report, police is said to have found the boy's eyes nearby, but his corneaswere missing. But a police officer named Liu denied the corneas were missing.[Full Text]
The suicide of Guo Bin's aunt on Saturday has sparked public suspicion that she might bethe assailant, but Guo Zhiping said it was impossible because the two families are on goodterms.
Wang Wenli, Guo Bin's mother, said that the boy's aunt made a phone call to ask about theboy's condition the night before she committed suicide.
Wang's brother said it was unlikely that the aunt would have hurt Guo though there wereminor disputes between the two families. [Full Text]
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