‘Give us the truth’: family protests outside kindergarten after sudden death of 5-year-old boy

An autopsy revealed that the boy had died of sudden pulmonary oedema, caused by fluid build-ups in the lungs

But his mother says the boy had been healthy and was in fine condition when he was dropped off for school in the morning

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A five-year-old boy surnamed Zhao died of sudden pulmonary oedema on March 2. Photo: Weibo

Published: 9:00am, 4 Apr 2022

In early March, a family was seen standing in front of a kindergarten in eastern China with a banner that read, “give us the truth, and justice for our child”.

They were protesting because they wanted to find out the truth behind the death of a five-year-old boy named Zhao, who died unexpectedly during his kindergarten lunch break on March 2 in Anhui province in eastern China.

The boy’s mother, surnamed Liu, who was holding a portrait of her son, believed the true cause of Zhao’s death had been obscured, according to Btime.com.

According to the autopsy report released on March 15, the cause of death was sudden pulmonary oedema, a condition caused by excess fluid in the lungs. But the autopsy also said there had been no inflammation, poisoning, or underlying heart conditions, which are common causes of the disease.

Family members of Zhao protest outside the kindergarten in eastern China. Photo: Weibo

Liu refused to accept the results and said her son had been healthy. She also accused some teachers of not following through when the child was in an emergency.

“When the ambulance arrived, after an examination, the paramedics informed me that my son had died,” Liu recalled, her voice shaking.

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