According to reports from Yunnan Information Daily, Spring City Evening Paper, and Urban Times, on the morning of April 4th, the Jian Shui County Court in Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan Province, held a trial for the case involving a teacher pricking young children with needles. The prosecution charged Ms. Sun QiQi, a teacher at Xi Hu Kindergarten, with the crime of endangering public safety by dangerous means. Parents of all 63 children who were pricked attended the court session and collectively requested a total of 1.79 million yuan in civil compensation. The defendant, Sun QiQi, admitted her guilt in court and expressed her willingness to compensate the victims for their losses.
**Pricking 63 Children**
In October of last year, Sun QiQi, a teacher at Xi Hu Kindergarten which lacked proper accreditation, pricked the hands, feet, and buttocks of children who misbehaved during class or nap time using a syringe needle. After multiple parents discovered the incidents, they reported it to the police. Subsequently, Jian Shui County immediately organized personnel from the public security, education, and health departments to investigate the matter. As the investigation progressed, it was found that 63 children had been pricked (out of a total of 140 students at the kindergarten).
Due to the panic caused by the needle pricking incidents locally, the health department conducted checks on all affected children for HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C, among other tests, with all results coming back negative.
Considering the large number of affected children and the cruel actions of the suspect, the public security authorities conducted a psychiatric evaluation on Sun QiQi. The conclusion was that she suffered from personality disorder but still possessed full legal responsibility.
**Charged with Endangering Public Safety**
The prosecution argued that Sun QiQi, due to the children being disobedient, repeatedly used the same syringe to prick multiple students. Her cruel teaching methods not only inflicted trauma on the children's young minds but also caused losses to the parents. Her actions impacted social public safety. At the time of the incident, Sun QiQi was over 18 years old. Although a forensic evaluation determined she had a personality disorder, she still possessed full criminal responsibility. Therefore, she should be held criminally responsible for endangering public safety by dangerous means.
Sun QiQi's defense attorney raised objections to the charges brought by the prosecution, arguing that if Sun QiQi's actions constituted a crime, they would fall under another charge.
**Parents Seek 1.79 Million Yuan Compensation**
In the part of the trial concerning criminal proceedings with attached civil litigation, the parents of the 63 children sought 1.77 million yuan in compensation for mental distress and over 10,000 yuan in lost wages from Sun QiQi, the kindergarten, and the landlord. The founder of the kindergarten stated they would comply with the court's judgment, but the landlord, Xi Hu Primary School, indicated unwillingness to bear any compensation. The judge ruled that compensation for emotional distress was outside the scope of the trial and dismissed this request.
Facing questioning from the prosecution, judges, and parents, Sun QiQi mostly responded with "Uh-huh" and "Yes," without offering any defense. She admitted her guilt in court and expressed her willingness to assume liability for compensation.
At 15:00 on April 4th, the judge announced a recess and will announce the verdict at a later date.