During last year's trial, Li Mouying's defense lawyer argued that Li's retaliatory mentality was due to long-term psychological stress causing a mental breakdown, leading to extreme hatred. Due to Li's significant lack of cognitive ability and psychological resilience, she chose a distorted behavior in desperation, and it was the combination of societal, objective, and personal reasons that led to the crime. Therefore, Li Mouying's subjective malice was relatively small, and the lawyer hoped the court would consider leniency during sentencing.
The Guangzhou Intermediate People's Court found that since 2004, Li Mouying had cohabited with Xiao Fang's father, Zeng Mouxiang in Guangzhou. During this time, their relationship deteriorated due to financial issues within the family. In 2010, Zeng Mouxiang suspected that Li Mouying had an inappropriate relationship with a patient she had previously cared for, Lu Moumou, exacerbating their conflicts. On the evening of March 20, 2011, after an argument over trivial matters, Zeng Mouxiang physically assaulted Li Mouying, prompting her to retaliate by deciding to kill Zeng's daughter, Xiao Fang. At around midnight on March 22, 2011, Li Mouying strangled Xiao Fang (10 years old) while she was asleep in their rented apartment in Datang Donghua, Haizhu District. At around 8 AM that morning, Li Mouying surrendered herself to the police.
Sentenced to Death with Reprieve, Claiming Inability to Compensate
Due to the involvement of minors, the case was heard on August 29, 2012, at the Juvenile Court of the Guangzhou Intermediate People's Court. During the trial, Li Mouying admitted without reservation to killing Xiao Fang, stating, "I was driven into a corner by (Zeng Mouxiang) and lost my mind."
After deliberation, the Guangzhou Intermediate People's Court accepted Li Mouying and her defense counsel's argument that the case was triggered by family conflicts and that Li had turned herself in, requesting leniency. Ultimately, the court ruled that Li Mouying intentionally deprived another person of life, constituting intentional homicide, and the deliberate killing of a child constituted an extremely serious crime. However, considering Li Mouying's expression of remorse, she was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve, lifelong deprivation of political rights, and ordered to compensate Xiao Fang's parents with 480,000 yuan.
According to informed sources after the trial, Li Mouying did not appeal the verdict and agreed with the compensation amount but expressed an inability to pay.
Conflict Leads to Fatal Attack on Child
On the morning of March 22, 2011, 10-year-old Xiao Fang was discovered lying lifeless and turning purple in her bed at home, part of a murder case that occurred in Datang Donghua Alley in Haizhu District. After investigation by the police, it was revealed that Xiao Fang's death was due to emotional disputes between her father (Zeng Mouxiang) and his girlfriend (referred to as "stepmother") Li Mouying. The "stepmother," harboring resentment towards Xiao Fang, strangled her in her sleep to vent her anger. Li Mouying fled after committing the crime but later turned herself in under pressure, fully admitting to her criminal actions.
Strangled While Asleep by the "Stepmother"
From the facts recognized in the judgment, it can be seen that Li Mouying indeed held grudges against Xiao Fang due to emotional discord and escalating conflicts with Zeng Mouxiang (Xiao Fang's father).
Reported by journalist Liu Qian of the New Express: Due to changes in the relationship between her father and "stepmother," 10-year-old Xiao Fang (a pseudonym) from Haizhu District, Guangzhou, was innocently strangled to death in her sleep ("stepmother"). Recently, according to information obtained from the Guangzhou Intermediate People's Court, the court determined that "stepmother" Li Mouying's actions constituted intentional homicide. However, because of her confession, she was ultimately sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve and ordered to compensate Xiao Fang's biological parents with 480,000 yuan.