Official to probe children’s ‘unnatural deaths’ in Hubei

Hubei authorities on Friday said they would launch an investigation into the “unnatural deaths” of several children in a welfare institute after online rumours exposed alleged abuses, a news portal reported.

Last week, a post titled “Who is abusing disabled orphans?” surfaced on major forums in China, sparking outrage. An internet user, calling himself “Yun Tian” said in the post that staff of Shiyan Child Welfare Institute told him that a total of seven children had frozen to death in the winter of 2012.

Staff told me the institute did not provide any heating “even on the coldest day” because the money was needed for fees, which were paid to the Civil Affairs Bureau, Yun wrote in the post.

Yun also said he saw a girl with bruises and scratches on her face. "I do not dare to say who assaulted me. Ms. Wang will beat me to death if I do," he quoted the girl telling him. Yun did not elaborate on who Ms. Wang was in the post. 

Responding to the rumours, Director Chen on Friday confirmed seven children in the institution had died between October 2012 and January 2013, according to a preliminary investigation. But he denied they froze to death.