This archive report was first published on 5 August 2020.
On July 31, a disturbing video emerged of a nanny abusing a six-day-old baby boy in Shahe, a city in northern China's Hebei province. The footage, captured by a nanny cam, shows the 50-year-old caregiver slapping, hitting, and throwing the newborn child.
The baby's father, Mr. Tian, discovered the shocking abuse while watching security footage on his phone. He immediately reported the incident to the police and shared the video with several influential Chinese bloggers on WeChat.
According to the police, Mr. Tian claimed to have seen the nanny, Ms. Wang, whacking her son's hands, feet, and buttocks on camera. The couple had hired Ms. Wang through an agency, and Mr. Tian had argued with her on the same day he discovered the abuse.
On August 1, the nanny cam captured another disturbing video, showing Ms. Wang putting the baby to sleep impatiently. The police launched an investigation into the case after the video went viral on Monday.
As the investigation continues, the police are treating the incident as an administrative case. Mr. Tian and Ms. Wang had an altercation outside the agency, and Mr. Tian was accused of wrecking Ms. Wang's car in a fit of rage.
