December 21, 2012

Driver who hit girl gets lighter term, forgiveness

by Shen Li

THE driver who ran over and crushed a two-year-old girl last year was given a reduced sentence of two years and six months in prison at a court in Foshan, Guangdong Province, yesterday as he agreed to compensation and was forgiven by the girl's family.

The driver, surnamed Hu, was initially sentenced to three years and six months but he appealed the ruling, the local Yangcheng Evening News reported.

Police simulated the accident by placing a toy as big as the toddler at the accident scene and had a man of the same size as the defendant drive the same van through the spot. Police then took measurements to evaluate the driver's state of mind and the extent to which the driver should be held responsible.

After the initial verdict, Hu and other involved parties reached an agreement with the girl's parents and compensated them with 303,000 yuan (US$48,600). The victim family then forgave Hu.

The case stirred a nationwide debate after the toddler, Wang Yue, was shown in a surveillance video on October 13 of 2011 being hit several times on a busy market street in Foshan while 18 people walked by, making no effort to save her.
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