In recent days, a video showing three young children playing near the exit of a subway station in Shenzhen without any adult supervision has sparked public concern.
On September 16th, a netizen from Shenzhen uploaded a video showing three young children playing near the B exit of Baohan Station on Line 11 of the Shenzhen subway. The children were seen playing next to water bottles and mats on the ground for an extended period without any adults in sight.
The viral video depicted the three young children playing near the subway exit, with one child running around in a small area, while the other two children, one lying down and the other sitting and waving, had water bottles and mats beside them.
On September 17th, Mr. He, the father of the children, told reporters that the eldest son is 3 and a half years old, and the twin daughters are 1 and a half years old. His wife, who is pregnant, disappeared two to three months ago. With no help from their deceased grandparents, Mr. He, who drives a taxi for a living, had no choice but to leave the children at the subway exit.
Mr. He expressed, “I wanted to ask my sister for help, but she also has her own life to manage. I can’t even afford the 2000 yuan for daycare. They are well-behaved and don’t cause any trouble. They just sit here, sleep when tired, and I bought them dumplings and snacks.”
According to reports from Guangdong Radio and Television, Mr. He mentioned that his wife left the phone to their eldest son a few months ago and left after preparing meals. Since he needs to pick up passengers near the subway station every day, he had to leave the children at the subway exit, where he left them with mats, food, and water.
Journalists from Hongxing News learned from the Shenzhen Metro that on the 16th, subway staff had visited the site but faced reluctance from the children’s parents to communicate. They later coordinated with the community service station and the rescue station to revisit the site today. Finally, the children were handed over to the community service station for proper care.
The situation of the three young children left unattended at the subway exit has caught the attention of the online community.
Netizens commented, “It’s heartbreaking to see this, the children are innocent and pitiful.” “The children are so pitiful, with no safety guaranteed.” “How much can you earn a day driving a taxi? Is it enough for rent, utilities, and food for four people?” “A runaway mother, a father working to make a living, and unsupervised children – a broken and fragmented family!”
“While it is indeed dangerous for children to be left alone at a busy subway exit, the root of this problem is not due to the parents being neglectful but the feeling of helplessness due to lack of support. If there were temporary childcare facilities, assistance policies for single-parent families, and accessible parenting support, Mr. He might not have had to expose his children to such risks.”
According to netizens, “The children were still at the subway exit at 6 p.m., and the community’s response seemed superficial.”