Probe opened into girl's death at martial arts school

An investigation team has been formed by local education, public security and healthcare authorities after a 7-year-old girl died at a martial arts school in Dengfeng, Central China's Henan province, two days after she enrolled, Red Star News reported.

The girl, surnamed Deng, was sent to Xiaolong Martial Arts School on Sunday by her parents. On Monday, they went to the school to check on her and went back to their home in Wu'an, North China's Hebei province.

Deng Haichao, the father, said he received a call from the school at about 10 am on Tuesday, saying his daughter tumbled and was sent to the hospital for emergency treatment. Not long after, the school said she died.

Deng Haichao arrived at the school at 3 pm and found that the surveillance camera closest to the site of the incident was broken. "The wire was unplugged," he said. The school later gave him a video clip. "The surveillance camera was far from my daughter. It seems like someone pushed and kicked her," Deng said.

Deng saw his daughter's remains at the hospital's mortuary between 7 pm and 8 pm. He said her face was purple and there were kick marks on her stomach.

According to the diagnosis by Dengfeng People's Hospital, the hospital sent an ambulance at 9:49 am and doctors arrived at the side of the patient at 9:56 am. She was found unconscious by teachers 30 minutes earlier and had fecal incontinence. The doctor found abdominal distention and lip cyanosis on her and said she died before first-aid could be administered.

There is no evidence to show the girl was beaten to death, said a deputy head of the school surnamed Chen. She didn't take part in antagonistic training nor clash with other students, said Chen. "Some students said that she suddenly fainted while she was playing," said Chen.

Dengfeng authorities also announced the start of a large-scale inspection of all martial arts schools in the city and a strengthening of the management of martial arts schools.

Public information shows that the legal representative of Xiaolong Martial Arts School is Chen Tongshan, father of actor Shi Xiaolong. The school has more than 12,000 students and more than 2,000 teachers currently.