Parents suspected in tot nail mystery
Source: Xinhua |
June 23, 2010, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
POLICE in northwest China's Shaanxi Province said yesterday they are investigating the parents of an 18-month-old toddler who excreted more than 20 nails in six weeks.
"We suspect her parents fed her the nails but there is a lack of evidence to take them into custody," said Luo Wanglai, deputy chief of Gulou Police Station in Yulin City.
The station received a written report from the Children's Hospital of Yulin City on June 12 after doctors became suspicious, said Luo.
Police, however, did not immediately question the parents, who needed to assist the doctors. "We just questioned the doctors and nurses to begin with," he said.
Ting Ting (not her real name) excreted more than 20 nails and five steel pins but showed no signs of complications and ate and drank as usual.
She continued to excrete nails even after she had been confined to a hospital bed in early May. "This convinced us the nails had not been accidentally swallowed," said hospital President He Bo.
X-rays found new nails in Ting Ting's stomach after every excretion, he said.
The girl was placed in the isolation ward for five days from June 12, stopping her parents from seeing her.
On June 14, a nurse told police she found a pack of more than 20 pins on the girl's bed. "They were exactly the same as the ones she had excreted," Luo said.
On the same day, a doctor said he found a nail on the window sill. "This was evidence of intentional injury," said Luo. "We assumed the suspect was very close to the child."
By last Friday, Ting Ting had excreted all the nails and no more objects were found in her stomach.
Though doctors wanted the girl to stay in the hospital for a few days for observation, her parents insisted she go home on Saturday, said Dr Shen.
Ting Ting's mother, Liu Xiaoya, said she hoped her daughter would "recover and get home soon."
She insisted the nails were not fed to the girl.
"Who could be that cruel?" she said when reporters asked if she suspected anyone. "No one had any chance to feed her the objects. My husband and I were always with her before she was isolated."
Luo said police investigators were sent to the girl's home county.
"We believe the results of the investigation will be released soon," he said.
"We suspect her parents fed her the nails but there is a lack of evidence to take them into custody," said Luo Wanglai, deputy chief of Gulou Police Station in Yulin City.
The station received a written report from the Children's Hospital of Yulin City on June 12 after doctors became suspicious, said Luo.
Police, however, did not immediately question the parents, who needed to assist the doctors. "We just questioned the doctors and nurses to begin with," he said.
Ting Ting (not her real name) excreted more than 20 nails and five steel pins but showed no signs of complications and ate and drank as usual.
She continued to excrete nails even after she had been confined to a hospital bed in early May. "This convinced us the nails had not been accidentally swallowed," said hospital President He Bo.
X-rays found new nails in Ting Ting's stomach after every excretion, he said.
The girl was placed in the isolation ward for five days from June 12, stopping her parents from seeing her.
On June 14, a nurse told police she found a pack of more than 20 pins on the girl's bed. "They were exactly the same as the ones she had excreted," Luo said.
On the same day, a doctor said he found a nail on the window sill. "This was evidence of intentional injury," said Luo. "We assumed the suspect was very close to the child."
By last Friday, Ting Ting had excreted all the nails and no more objects were found in her stomach.
Though doctors wanted the girl to stay in the hospital for a few days for observation, her parents insisted she go home on Saturday, said Dr Shen.
Ting Ting's mother, Liu Xiaoya, said she hoped her daughter would "recover and get home soon."
She insisted the nails were not fed to the girl.
"Who could be that cruel?" she said when reporters asked if she suspected anyone. "No one had any chance to feed her the objects. My husband and I were always with her before she was isolated."
Luo said police investigators were sent to the girl's home county.
"We believe the results of the investigation will be released soon," he said.
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