Frustrated Chinese father throws pomegranate at son over homework, ruptures boy’s spleen

A furious Chinese father hurled a pomegranate at his son during a home tuition session, which led to the rupturing of the boy's spleen.

The father got angrywhen the boy was not able to understand a maths problem. He threw the fruit at his son,which eventually led to a life-threatening situation for the kid.

The incident spurred a debate on China's social media about the parenting style of Chinese parents, as per the South China Morning Post (SCMP).

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The father, surnamed Chen, was helping his son, nicknamed Liangliang, while his wife was away working overtime. The boy, who is in Class 3 as per reports, was struggling with a maths problem when the father lost his cool.

The boy started screaming in pain after the fruit hit his stomach, but did not detect any serious injuries until the next day, the Chinese media outlet said.

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The boy complained of acute abdominal pain the next day and was taken to the hospital immediately. Upon reaching the hospital, the doctors diagnosed him with a ruptured spleen. Doctors said the spleen ruptures easily and in some cases can even lead to excessive bleeding with a possible need to remove it.

In China, causing serious injury due to mere negligence can lead to up to three years in prison. However, such cases often go unaddressed without a report from the victim or intervention by the authorities.

“For situations that may be identified as domestic violence or constitute criminal acts, even if the victim or family members do not actively report to the police, once such behaviour is discovered by relevant organisations or individuals, they also have a responsibility to report,” SCMP quoted He Bo, a lawyer from Sichuan Hongqi Law Firm, as saying.

The incident prompted a debate on the parenting style of Chinese parents, that lack patience.

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“This father has ruined his son’s life! Having the spleen removed is irreversible damage. If I was this child, I would never forgive him,” said one online observer on Weibo.

“It reminds me of when I was a child and my dad threw a remote control at me. I was half numb at the time,” said another.

It is common in China to home tutor their children for homework. In most situations, these home tuitions are emotionally charged because of the relationship between parents and children.

In September 2021, a man from Hunan province in central China became so angry while tutoring his daughter that he dislocated his own jaw.

(With inputs from agencies)