An eight-year-old boy has allegedly been beaten to death by his martial arts instructor the day after signing up for the club in China.
The youngster, who has not been named, joined the Chongde Juying Martial Arts Sports Club in Qingdao, Shandong, on June 17.
But on June 18, his parents, who had paid 7,680 yuan (around £837) for a year’s worth of self-defence lessons, were sent a video of him during training in which he looked ‘unusually pale’.
His mother noted that he was covered in bruises, which were most concentrated on his legs.
The boy was taken to the Third People’s Hospital in Chenyang where he was declared dead on arrival after reportedly being beaten by his instructor.
Medical records seen by China’s daily The Paper revealed his heart had stopped beating 20 minutes before arriving at the hospital.
Three people linked to the club have been arrested, including the couple in charge and a coach, according to The Chenyang branch of Qingdao’s Public Security Bureau.
Investigations are ongoing and the club is currently not running.
A video posted online showed a boy wearing an orange T-shirt with the martial arts club’s name on the back.
He collapsed to the floor as a woman’s voice can be heard saying: ‘If you keep doing this your mum has told me she will not pick you up for one year,’ according to The Straits Times.
Mr Zhai, the boy’s father, was sent a video of his son at around 11am on June 18, and saw that he looked ‘unusually pale’. His mother criticised the coaches for not taking him to hospital earlier.
The martial arts club was only registered in April.
