Chinese girl, 5, causes brother’s death while adjusting car seat; court dismisses lawsuit
Family seeks apology from manufacturer, demands US$280,000 to cover medical expenses, compensation for death, emotional support fees
A couple in China have filed a lawsuit against a car manufacturer after their five-year-old daughter adjusted the car seat, which inadvertently led to the death of their two-year-old son due to suffocation from being trapped by the seat.
However, the Shanghai Pudong District People’s Court dismissed their lawsuit, stating that the tragedy was caused by the “multiple instances of negligence in the parents’ guardianship.”
The case was publicised on social media on August 14 by the Shanghai High Court as a noteworthy court decision.
The accident occurred on May 1, 2023, when the father, identified only by the surname Zong, was driving his family – his wife, known by her surname Wu, and their two children.
At that moment, Wu and their daughter were seated in the second row of their multipurpose vehicle, while their toddler son sat alone in the third row.