Police in My Tu commune, Can Tho city, are investigating the child abuse case involving 48-year-old Doi, a resident of My Huong commune, on July 27th.

Nguyen Thi Doi beating her 13-year-old nephew with a stick on the afternoon of 24/7. Photo: Screenshot from a video taken by a bystander.

Around 4 PM on 24/7, Doi stopped at a coffee shop near My Huong market after selling lottery tickets, waiting for her three nephews and nieces (one boy and two girls, aged 9 to 13), who were selling tickets at the market.

Near 6 PM, a relative called to inform Doi that the children had many unsold tickets. She found them at a motorbike repair shop in My Tu commune and demanded to know why they hadn't sold them. Her 13-year-old nephew explained that no one was buying and showed her the unsold tickets.

Doi began yelling, kicking him in the buttocks, and slapping him repeatedly on the head and shoulders. Despite his pleas, she grabbed a wooden stick (about wrist-thick and over a meter long) and hit him hard five times, breaking the stick in two. She then continued beating him with the remaining piece about 10 more times. The boy cried and begged for mercy, but Doi continued the assault while bystanders watched without intervening.

A video of the incident, recorded by a bystander, quickly spread on social media.

When questioned by the police, Doi claimed she only hit her nephew five times on the buttocks and admitted to hitting her 9-year-old niece once on the buttocks as well.

An Binh