2 martial arts coaches sentenced to life for beating 8-year-old boy to death

Two martial arts coaches were sentenced to life imprisonment, and another received a suspended sentence by the Qingdao Intermediate People's Court on Thursday after an 8-year-old boy was beaten to death in a club in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province.

The boy, surnamed Zhai, born in 2014, enrolled in the martial arts club operated by the defendant, surnamed Zhang, on June 10, 2023.

Because Zhai didn't do his moves well enough, Zhang, who was teaching, along with his son, who assisted in teaching, and another coach, Li, physically assaulted and tied up the boy on June 18, 2023.

Later, Zhai was found unconscious and in a coma and was sent to the hospital for emergency treatment but died despite rescue efforts, according to the court.

Zhang called the police the same afternoon, and the three individuals confessed to the criminal acts after being taken to the police station.

The court found that the defendants, Zhang and Li, intentionally inflicted bodily harm on Zhai through violent methods during their teaching and training, resulting in his death. Their actions constituted intentional injury. The prolonged beating and tying of a minor student were deemed serious in nature, cruel in execution, and grave in consequence, causing significant social harm, the court said.

Consequently, Zhang and Li were sentenced to life imprisonment and permanently deprived of their political rights.

Zhang's son participated in the criminal act, also constituting intentional injury. He was sentenced to three years behind bars with a five-year reprieve.

The court stated that the three defendants are prohibited from engaging in work that involves close contact with minors.