Tumbling Chinese granny fined for extorting young helpers

[OneStepCloser]

Tumbling Chinese granny fined for extorting young helpers

Xinhua, November 23, 2013

The family of an elderly lady has been fined for extorting three primary school students who came to her aid after seeing her fall in a southwestern Chinese city, local police said Saturday.

According to an online forum post that drew public attention earlier this week, an old woman fell down in Dazhou City in Sichuan Province, but later blamed three children who helped her for causing the accident and demanded compensation.

Police in Dazhou said they received a report on Thursday from the family of one of the children, who said they were forced to pay 1,000 yuan (166.7 U.S. dollars) for the woman's medical fees after the incident on June 15.

After investigating the case, police concluded that the 74-year-old woman, surnamed Jiang, had fallen on her own, and her act constituted extortion.

Jiang was given a seven-day disciplinary detention but was exempted from the punishment due to her age. Her son, surnamed Gong, received 10 days in detention and a fine of 500 yuan, police said.

China has reported a spate of cases in recent years about "good Samaritans" being framed by elderly people they helped. Experts say the country needs to enhance legal protection for do-gooders in order to prevent such incidents from discouraging public acts of kindness.

 

[Charisma]

Fallen Old Lady in Sichuan Blames Children Who Helped Her Up

by Fauna on Sunday, November 24, 2013

​

From NetEase:
Sichuan “False Accuser” Old Woman Appeals for Reconsideration, Complains Tearfully: May My Entire Family Die if I’m Lying

Summary: Sichuan “false accuser” old woman Jiang Guangrong maintained to the media that she was knocked over by the children and feels that she has been wronged. To prove that she is innocent, she vowed, “if I’ve said anything false to scam anyone, may my entire family die”. In the face of the handling and decision made by the Public Security Bureau [police], the elderly person’s family express dissatisfaction and will appeal for reconsideration.

Related News:

Sichuan 3 Children Who Helped Up Old Lady Are Instead Framed, False Accuser Old Lady Detained for 7 Days [on NetEase]
3 Children Who Helped Up Old Woman Accused of Knocking Her Down, Police File Case as Scam/False Accusation [on NetEase]

The Great-Grandmother’s Side:
The matter isn’t over yet

With regards to the handling by police, Grandma Jiang and family express dissatisfaction. She still insists she was knocked down by the children, feels she has been wronged, and weeps. To demonstrate her innocence, she’s even made the “may my entire family die” [if lying] oath.

The Children’s Side:
[Hopes the matter] cools down as soon possible

Facing media that rushed over from all over the country, the child’s father Mr. Yang is most worried about his child’s head swelling and he is looking forward to the matter quickly “cooling” off, so they can return to their ordinary, quiet lives.

A 9-year-old child helped up an elderly person but was instead grabbed and held by the elderly person demanding compensation her for medical expenses. After 5 months of back and forth, just a few days ago, for extortion, the Public Security Bureau gave administrative detention and fines as punishment to Grandma Jiang and her son. However, because Grandma Jiang is already over 70 years old, administrative detention is not enforced in accordance with the law (Chengdu Business Daily follow-up report).

Yesterday, the elderly person continued to insist that she was knocked down by the children, felt she was wronged, and even vowed: “if I’ve said anything false to scam anyone, may my entire family die.” In the face of the handling and decision made by the Public Security Bureau [police], the elderly person’s family express dissatisfaction and will appeal for reconsideration.

Great Grandmother Responds
Weepingly says “may my entire family die If I’m lying”

Yesterday afternoon, the elderly person Jiang Guangrong accepted an interview with this reporter for Chengdu Business Daily. “I fell and injured myself that day because several children ran into me. At the time, I had just walked to the middle of that courtyard by myself, and 3 children who were horsing around ran over, with one of the children running into me and knocking me down. I didn’t even ask them to come help me up. I grabbed and held the child that ran into me.” Grandma Jiang feels she has been wrong and unable to control her emotions, she repeatedly cried. According to her relatives, she has only eaten one meal over the past two days, her mood extremely sad, and did not sleep at all last night. “I did not say any lies, much less extort anyone.” Grandma Jiang cried, “I never thought I’d be injured and hurt, and that my son would be locked up.” To profess her innocence, she cried and swore: “if I’ve said anything false to scam anyone, may my entire family die.”

Yesterday afternoon, the elderly person Jiang Guangrong had her son-in-law, grandson, and daughter-in-law go to the Nanwai police station and lodge a written complaint of dissatisfaction with the police’s handling [of the case]. A representative for the Nanwai police station expressed that the relevant individuals unhappy with the administrative punishment may appeal for reconsideration with the higher Public Security Bureau or the county (area) government, as well as file an administrative lawsuit directly with the People’s Court.

On-Site Visit
Hometown villager says “she’s usually [seen as] a good person”

Grandma Jiang’s daughter-in-law Hu Shimei says they they purchased a home and have been living together for 10 years already. “My husband and son do interior decorating/renovations, I polish shoes, and the entire family’s income is at least 10,000 RMB and up each month. Although we aren’t considered a particularly rich household, we live quite well. Using an elderly person’s body to go con other people’s money, that’s something we wouldn’t be able to do”

According to villager and small group leader Gong Fashun of the elderly woman’s hometown, “she’s usually [seen as] a good person, not disliked.” Gong Fashun says the elderly woman and is on relatively good terms with her neighbors in the village, and hasn’t heard anything bad about the elderly woman before. “I’ve lived in the village for 40-50 years now and I’ve never heard anyone say Old Lady Jiang uses falling down to go extort others.”

Child’s father: Wants to live in peace, most afraid of child’s head swelling

After this period of time, Mr. Yang now looks forward to the matter “cooling” off, “We don’t want the media to excessively interfere with our lives. We especially don’t want the media to excessively disturb our child. We’re just ordinary people, and we only want to live our lives in peace and quiet.”

However it is clear that this wish of Mr. Yang will be difficult to realize for the time being. Over the past few days, media from all around the country have rushed over and begun to focus attention on these three households. “What I’m most worried about is my child’s head swelling. I have told my child more than once that in all of this, you guys aren’t actually heroes and merely did something that ordinary people should do.”

What has gratified the three fathers is that the three children remain as lively as before. However, there have been a few tiny changes that Mr. Yang has noticed. While being interviewed, one of the children expressed that from now on, when they see a fallen elderly person, they’ll first go find a witness and then lend a hand to help the elderly person up. This made Mr. Yang grimace as he listened on the side. After going home, Mr. Yang told his own child that when someone is in a difficulty, what one should first think of isn’t finding a witness, “and even if you aren’t able to help, you should first dial 110 or 120 [emergency assistance numbers]“.