In a landmark ruling from Northeast China’s Liaoning province, a preschool educator has been incarcerated and permanently barred from working with minors following convictions of systematic child maltreatment. The Dawa District People’s Court delivered the verdict on Thursday, sentencing Zhang Xu to two years imprisonment for repeatedly assaulting eight children under her care.
The disturbing case unfolded at Pengcheng Kindergarten in Panshan county, where surveillance footage revealed Zhang’s pattern of physical violence between March 3 and 21. The court documented numerous incidents of intimidation, pushing, hitting, dragging, and striking directed at vulnerable young children.
The investigation was triggered on March 21 when a concerned mother, identified only as Li, reviewed classroom recordings after noticing concerning behavior in her child. The footage captured the moment Zhang slapped and shoved her child, causing the child’s head to strike a wall resulting in a diagnosed scalp contusion.
Despite Zhang’s admission of guilt and partial forgiveness from some parents, the court emphasized the severity of her actions. The ruling noted her fundamental breach of professional ethics, the prolonged nature of the abuse, and the significant social risks posed by her behavior toward multiple vulnerable children.
In a related development, local authorities conducted a comprehensive investigation of the kindergarten facility, uncovering multiple regulatory violations. The inspection revealed unqualified teaching staff, expired operational licenses, and unsafe physical facilities. Consequently, the kindergarten has been permanently shut down, with disciplinary measures implemented against 24 staff members.