Sick Son
On March 31, a father from Hejian in Cangzhou City held at knifepoint a staff member of the China Red Cross Foundation to demand financial aid for his son who was suffering from acute aplastic anemia. The attempt failed and the father has been detained ever since in the detention center in Dongcheng District, Beijing. Now the child is seriously ill at home with continuous high fever, suffering from the pain of the disease while looking forward to his father's early return.
In a desperate bid to save his son, the father held at knifepoint a staff member of the Red Cross Society
The child of Liu Wenfang from Hejian, Sun Kai, was diagnosed last year with acute aplastic anemia. Liu Wenfang said that they were farmers without much savings at home. In one year they borrowed more than 300,000 yuan but the child's condition did not improve.
Last December, the family of three went hopefully to the China Red Cross Foundation seeking help. Staff members of the foundation told them that each fund had specific rules and must be used for specific purposes. There was no assistance for acute aplastic anemia, so Sun Kai could not be helped. Despite repeated requests by Mr. and Mrs. Liu, there was no effect.
Early on March 31, the child's father Sun Wenhui secretly came to Beijing. He again went to the Chinese Red Cross Society to inquire whether assistance was possible. After receiving another negative response, he lost control of his emotions and in desperation held at knifepoint a staff member with a knife, without causing any casualties. Subsequently, he was put into the detention center.
The mother of the child, Liu Wenfang, said that on April 7, they took the father to a psychiatric evaluation. This was the first meeting with the father since he entered the detention center. At the time, the father's mental state was very desolate, unwilling to talk much, only asking how the child was doing, whether the child was okay, and saying nothing else.
Beijing lawyer offers free legal assistance
After hearing about this case, lawyer Zeng Wenfei from Beijing Guoshun Law Firm was willing to provide free legal assistance to the child's father Sun Wenhui.
Lawyer Zeng said that the reason why Sun Wenhui made such an irrational move was out of concern for his child. Therefore, he believed that Sun Wenhui's extreme behavior was understandable under the circumstances and did not cause any casualties. In addition, the China Red Cross Foundation wrote a letter of understanding, indicating the foundation's forgiveness.
Lawyer Zeng told reporters that he had already submitted a litigation agency application to the Beijing Bar Association to provide free legal assistance to Sun Wenhui. He needs to wait for notification from the bar association. When the power of attorney comes down, he will be able to communicate with the child's father. Currently, he only heard some introductions from the child's mother and does not fully understand the details of the case. He stated that if the court determines guilt, he would make the lightest defense, and it might even be a defense of innocence.
Critically ill child at home says he wants to see his father before dying
The mother of the child, Liu Wenfang, said that on March 31, the township government prepaid more than 10,000 yuan for the child to be hospitalized first at the General Hospital of the Beijing Military Region. On April 9, after the money ran out, they had to go back to their hometown.
Now all the savings of Liu Wenfang's family have been spent, and they are heavily in debt. She can only borrow money from relatives and neighbors to give blood platelets to her child, maintaining the child's condition. However, the child's condition worsened in recent days, and he started to run a fever again. With her husband in the detention center, she takes care of the child every day, crying her eyes out.
Liu Wenfang said that although her son Sun Kai is young, he is very sensible. Seeing his parents begging people for help because of his illness, he told her, "Mom, you don't have to beg for me anymore, it's too hard." He also said that his father committed a crime for him, and now his illness hasn't improved much. He just wants his father to be safe and wants to see his father before he dies.