Boy, 8, ‘beaten to death by instructor the day after he applied to Chinese martial arts school’

An eight-year-old boy was reportedly beaten to death by his martial arts instructor the day after he signed up for the club in China.

The youngster, who has not been named, joined the Chongde Juying Martial Arts Sports Club in Qingdao, Shandong on June 17.

But on June 18, his parents, who had paid 7,680 yuan (about £837) for a year of self-defense lessons, were sent a video of him during training in which he looked “unusually pale”.

His mother noted that he was covered in bruises, which were mostly concentrated on his legs.

The boy was taken to Third People’s Hospital in Chenyang, where he was pronounced dead on arrival after allegedly being beaten by his instructor.

Medical records reviewed by the Chinese daily newspaper The Paper showed that his heart had stopped beating 20 minutes before arriving at the hospital.

Three people associated with the club have been arrested, including the couple responsible and a coach, according to the Chenyang branch of Qingdao’s Public Security Bureau.

Investigations are ongoing and the club is currently not running.

A video posted online and viewed by The Straits Times showed a boy wearing an orange T-shirt with the name of the martial arts club on the back.

He fell to the ground when a woman’s voice could be heard saying, “If you keep doing this, your mother told me she won’t pick you up for a year.”

Mr. Zhai, the boy’s father, was sent a video of his son around 11:00 am on June 18 and found him looking “unusually pale”.

His mother criticized the coaches for not taking him to the hospital sooner.

The martial arts club was registered only in April.

A video posted online and viewed by The Straits Times showed a boy wearing an orange T-shirt with the name of the martial arts club on the back