Recent days, a netizen in Chaozhou, Guangdong claiming to be a volunteer, posted that a baby girl named Yan Yan in Shitou Village, Longhu Town, Chaozhou City, was abused by her biological mother. At 8 months old, she weighed only 6 catties (3 kilograms), suffering from severe malnutrition and skin ulceration due to prolonged lack of proper nutrition and exposure to feces and urine. After being sent to the hospital, she was diagnosed with sepsis, severe malnutrition, pneumonia, and 9 other illnesses.
According to information gathered from the volunteer’s post and an Owl video report, Yan Yan was born in July 2024, making her 8 months old now. Her mother has an intellectual disability, with no grandparents in the picture, and her maternal grandparents were not willing to care for Yan Yan. After her birth, a kind neighbor took care of her until she was four months old, but Yan Yan’s parents (her father was not her biological father, but her mother’s boyfriend) did not provide formula milk or money. Consequently, the neighbor had to return Yan Yan to her parents for care.
Yan Yan’s parents hesitated to buy formula milk for her, opting for sweet potato powder instead and only feeding her twice a day – in the morning and evening. After 4 months, Yan Yan, originally plump and healthy, became emaciated, weighing only 6 catties, and developed a severe skin rash due to an allergic reaction to the sweet potato powder.
During the day, Yan Yan’s mother would go out and leave her crying in a corner, disregarding her wet diapers. This neglect led to severe ulceration on her private parts, buttocks, and back due to prolonged exposure to feces and urine.
On one occasion, Yan Yan choked on watery rice gruel, and a sympathetic neighbor took her to the hospital. With the help of young female volunteers, she was admitted for treatment.
Examinations revealed that Yan Yan was suffering from sepsis, severe malnutrition, pneumonia, and 9 other diseases, leading to a critical diagnosis. Since being hospitalized on March 9th, she has been in the ICU. While most of her other symptoms have improved, a lung infection remains a concern, preventing her transfer to a regular ward.
Unable to cover the costly hospital fees, volunteers started a fundraiser which has gathered around 290,000 yuan so far. However, on April 1st, Yan Yan’s father learned about the fundraising online and refused to contribute to her treatment.
Yan Yan’s father told The Paper that due to his busy work schedule and Yan Yan’s mother’s intellectual deficiencies, they neglected their daughter. He criticized the volunteers for misusing Yan Yan’s name for fundraising. The volunteers, on the other hand, stated that Yan Yan’s father requested to manage the donations, but they could not trust him and would not hand over the funds.
Local women’s federation staff mentioned that authorities are investigating the situation, and the child remains in the hospital. Regarding Yan Yan’s guardianship, they are seeking assistance from her maternal grandparents, while discussions are ongoing among the parties involved in the fundraising.
The news sparked outrage online, with the topic “8-month-old baby girl abused and weighs only 6 catties” trending on April 16th.
Many netizens expressed their anger, stating, “An 8-month-old baby should weigh around 10 to 20 catties.” “Harsh punishment for the biological father!” “Her mother has an intellectual disability and still has a boyfriend, unbelievable!” “Hope the truth is revealed and justice is served for the child!”