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Arrests made in rehab camp death

By Zhu Yanting in Nanning and Lan Tian in Beijing (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-09-04 10:30

Four counselors at an Internet rehabilitation camp where a 15-year-old boy was beaten to death have been formally arrested in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

The arrests come one month after middle school graduate Deng Senshan died at the Nanning-based Qihang Salvation Training Camp, where he was receiving treatment for Internet addiction.

On Wednesday, the Nanning procuratorate approved the arrests of four suspects - Huang Yejian, Wei Gaojian, Guo Zhicai and Li Qunlai - who have been in criminal detention with 10 other counselors for several weeks, Wei Jiafeng, an information office official with Nanning procuratorate, told China Daily.

The four are accused of inflicting intentional injury and causing death.

The procuratorate's investigation found that Deng did not want to be at the camp when he was admitted at 2 pm on Aug 1. The four suspects allegedly forced him to train by beating him and then put him in confinement.

While the boy was in confinement, Huang Yejian allegedly beat him again.

The investigation found that about 10 pm, the four suspects forced Deng to do physical training at the camp's basketball court and beat him again.

After returned to the dormitory, Deng developed a fever, vomited and was delirious. Counselors sent him to a local hospital but the boy died at 3 am, a mere 13 hours after being admitted.

Autopsy results showed the victim suffered soft tissue injuries that led to the failure of his respiratory and circulation system, the official said.

But he refused to give more details about the four suspects or the ongoing investigation.

Related readings:  Editor sacked for report on death at Internet rehab camp  Net rehab center owner detained for teen abuse  Teenager dies in Internet rehab

Under criminal law, anyone who intentionally injures another person and causes death faces sentences ranging from 10 years in jail to the death penalty.

"I'm very glad to see the murderers who killed my nephew have been arrested," Li Jian, the victim's uncle, told China Daily yesterday.

Li said he heard that of the four counselors, one was a retired special forces soldier, two were graduates from a sports school and one was experienced in outdoor training.

"The family members believe the government will punish them severely," he said.

The body of Deng has been kept in the Nanning funeral parlor morgue for a month and can only be cremated after the case is closed, he said.