Angry that Q. stole money, the stepfather hung the 13-year-old boy from a beam, beat him with a whip, cut his clothes, and poured water on his face.
On the afternoon of August 13, Phu Tho Provincial Police announced that the Investigation Police Department of Tan Son District Police had summoned the stepfather who used a rope to tie the legs and arms of a 13-year-old boy, hung him from a beam, and then beat him.
Specifically, on August 12, a clip was posted on social media forums recording images of a man beating a boy. The incident is said to have occurred in Con 1 hamlet, Thu Ngac commune, Tan Son district.
As soon as he received the information, Colonel Nguyen Minh Tuan, Director of Phu Tho Provincial Police, requested Tan Son District Police to report the incident and promptly investigate and clarify.
Initially, the police identified the abused child in the clip as LVQ (born in 2011). The person who beat the boy was Phung Van Tu (born in 1992), Q’s stepfather.
On the night of August 12, the Investigation Police Agency of Tan Son District Police summoned Phung Van Tu to Tan Son District Police for questioning.
At the police station, Tu admitted to beating the child as shown in the clip.
According to Tu, recently, Q. stole money and property from relatives. Because he was so upset, on August 4, Tu tied Q.’s legs and arms with a rope and hung him from a beam, then used a whip to beat him, cut his clothes and poured water on his face with the purpose of deterring and educating him.
Q. said this was the first time he was beaten by his stepfather.
The Director of Phu Tho Provincial Police Department directed Tan Son District Police to continue to verify and handle the case. At the same time, the Director of Provincial Police Department requested the People’s Committee of Tan Son District to direct the District Committee for Child Care, Protection and Education to coordinate with departments, branches and organizations to visit, encourage and support Q. so that he can soon stabilize his spirit and life.