Man chops off young boy's hand after dispute with lover

SHENYANG, CHINA - A 10-year-old boy became the victim of a money dispute between his mother and her lover when the latter chopped off his right hand and tossed the dismembered body part into a flask of hot water.

Chinese evening daily Shin Min Daily News reported that doctors were unable to re-attach the boy's hand, as its cell structure was already damaged.

The couple and the boy have been living in a hotel room since they moved to the Chinese city of Shenyang. On Tuesday morning, sounds of fighting came from their hotel room. Neighbouring occupants reported hearing cries from the boy.

They reportedly say the boy lying on the hotel room floor with his right hand missing.

After the boy was sent to the hospital, police went to the hotel room to search for clues and discovered what was left of the hand in a hot water flask. They immediately sent it to the hospital, said Shin Min Daily.

However, doctors said the boy's hand had become 'cooked'.

A hospital spokesperson said: "We have seen many burn injuries before, but even the doctor was stunned when he saw the boy's hand in the blood-filled flask."

The woman's lover was reportedly detained by police.

The man, surnamed Wang, is said to be 30 years old. He attacked the boy in a fit of anger and chopped off the boy's right hand with a knife.

According to Wang, the mother was not in the hotel when the incident happened.

She called the hotel reception, saying her boyfriend and her son were fighting, and had asked one of the staff to check on them. But hotel employees arrived too late.

The young boy however, was reportedly calm after the horrific incident, said an eyewitness. After he was sent to the hospital, he used his left hand to call his mother on a mobile phone. He was overheard saying: "Mother, I am fine. I only broke a finger."

The boy even comforted his mother by telling her, " I still have my left hand."

This was translated from Shin Min Daily (Oct 23).

wjeanne@sph.com.sg

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