Father faces criminal sanctions after investigation into viral video showing him flogging two sons

The statement from the Jiangjin Public Security Bureau

A man is now facing criminal charges after police investigated a viral video of him flogging his two naked sons with electric wires, sparking widespread public concern.

The video was confirmed to have been recorded on Monday at a residential complex in Jiangjin District, southwest China’s Chongqing. The two boys were whipped by their father, named Chen, because of their mischievous behavior, the Jiangjin Public Security Bureau said in a statement on Thursday.

The boys were seen walking through the garage of their apartment complex early Sunday morning and drawing lines on the hoods of three cars with a black pen. On Sunday evening, a car owner shared the surveillance video in the shared apartment’s group chat and called on the children’s parents to exercise strict discipline.

After observing his sons’ behavior around 1 a.m. Monday, Chen, 29, used a power cord from a power strip at home to whip the two boys. The children’s mother, Wang, then posted the video of Chen whipping the children in the group chat, saying that they had strictly disciplined the children and also apologized to the car owners, according to the police statement.

The two boys were taken for a medical examination, which revealed that they had suffered soft tissue injuries to their buttocks, both lower legs and their backs.

District government officials have organized the local neighborhood committee, women’s association, education and other relevant departments to provide psychological counseling and aftercare services to the children.

Public security authorities have formally opened a case and taken criminal coercive measures against Chen, and the investigation is ongoing, the police statement said.

Police urged the public not to distribute the videos or images related to this incident as they involved minors.

Global times