Tran Nghi, born in 1969, lived in a small mountain village in southern Hunan province. Despite his family's objections, he married a woman with an intellectual disability. They had three children, all of whom inherited their mother's condition.
Around 2017, Nghi's eldest daughter went missing. He was left with his wife, son, and younger daughter, Tran Hoa.
Tran Hoa, born in 2008, was in middle school but couldn't do basic arithmetic or care for herself.
Three predators close to home
On 15/1/2021, relatives noticed 13-year-old Hoa was pregnant and informed Nghi. He took her to the hospital, where doctors determined she was about five months along.
When her father asked who was responsible, Hoa identified a construction worker surnamed Ngo, born in 1954, who worked near their home. Unsure of the baby's paternity, Nghi reported the incident to the police.
On 16/1, police arrested Ngo and began an investigation for rape.
Ngo confessed to working near Hoa's home since August 2021. He said Hoa frequently visited the construction site and borrowed his phone to watch videos. He admitted to offering Hoa money in exchange for sex and having done so on three occasions in August 2021, giving her 400 CNY.
In her police statement, Hoa explained she agreed because Ngo let her use his phone and gave her money. She also revealed she had sex with two other men: Xa Nhat, born in 1948, and Vuong, born in 1959. Police arrested Vuong and Nhat on 18/1.
According to the indictment, in late 2019, Hoa went to Nhat's house to pick pomelos and he took advantage of the situation. He then used small sums of money, between 20 and 50 CNY, to coerce Hoa into having sex with him seven times until early 2020.
Vuong lived near Hoa. In 3/2021, Hoa visited his house after school. He offered to wash her hair and then coerced her into having sex, giving her 10 CNY and telling her not to tell anyone. He continued to exploit Hoa eight times until 5/2021, giving her 10 to 20 CNY each time.
A village official stated that everyone knew Nghi loved his daughter, but his demanding farm work and lack of family support made it difficult for him to supervise her constantly.
On 16/12/2021, the prosecutor's office approved arrest warrants for the three suspects.
Prison sentences for the three abusers
On 10/4/2022, Hoa gave birth to a son at the district hospital. A DNA test on 5/5 confirmed Vuong was the father. On 27/5, another assessment diagnosed Hoa with a mild to moderate intellectual disability, rendering her incapable of defending herself during the assaults.
In June 2022, the court found the three men guilty of rape, recognizing they knew Hoa was under 14 and had an intellectual disability, yet exploited her with money, snacks, and access to a mobile phone. Vuong received a 14-year sentence, Nhat 13 years, and Ngo 12 years.
Vuong was ordered to compensate Hoa 13,770.67 CNY for medical, care, nutrition, and transportation expenses related to the birth. In a separate civil suit in August 2022, the court ordered Vuong to pay a lump sum of 250,000 CNY in child support. However, enforcement proved difficult as Vuong's family refused to pay.
Following the assaults, local authorities installed security cameras at Nghi's house and conducted monthly checks, according to a village official.
Two more predators discovered
Believing the ordeal was over, on 25/7/2023, Nghi found a small amount of money on Hoa while doing laundry. After several days of questioning, Hoa revealed it was from a relative named Xa Nhi.
When Nghi confronted Nhi, he claimed it was a joke and urged Nghi not to involve the police. Nghi demanded 30,000 CNY for defamation, but Nhi's son refused to pay. Nghi then reported the incident to the police.
According to the investigation, at 4 PM on 15/7/2023, Nhi attempted to coerce Hoa into sex at his home, but was unsuccessful. On 3/8, Nhi confessed to the police.
The court found Nhi guilty of attempted rape. Due to his age (75) and voluntary confession, he received a reduced sentence of four years and six months. The court dismissed the victim's family's civil suit.
Tran Nghi, the sole provider and only able-bodied member of his family, supported them through farming and odd jobs. While pursuing the case against Xa Nhi, he was preoccupied with legal proceedings. Tragically, during this time, his daughter was assaulted again by another villager, Xa Tam, born in 1972.
Nghi learned of this assault from fellow villagers while drinking. He confronted Tam, who denied the accusations.
Regarding the repeated abuse of Hoa, the village official expressed helplessness, saying, "This is truly impossible to prevent."
The father murdered and his body dumped
Court records show Tam repeatedly molested Hoa in June 2023.
Around 6 AM on 25/10/2023, believing Tam had assaulted his daughter again, Nghi went to confront him. An argument escalated into a fight. Tam struck Nghi with a brick, hitting his head, face, and back, and also used his elbow to hit Nghi's chest and abdomen. During the struggle, they fell to the ground, and Tam strangled Nghi until he lost consciousness.
Tam then put Nghi's body in the trunk of his car and drove to the city hospital, claiming Nghi was his brother injured by a collapsing wall at a construction site. Upon examination, Nghi was already dead. After unsuccessful resuscitation attempts, he was officially pronounced dead at 9:39 AM. Tam put Nghi's body back in his car and drove home. Between 4 and 5 PM, he transported the body to another district about 30 km away, dumped it in a shallow roadside ditch, covered it with a sack, and left.
Tam was arrested on 26/10. He claimed self-defense and denied molesting Hoa. His lawyer argued there was insufficient evidence of molestation.
Tam's family paid 70,000 CNY for Nghi's funeral expenses.
An autopsy revealed 23 wounds on Nghi's head and face, multiple rib fractures, and death by strangulation. Tam had only minor injuries.
On 17/4/2025, the court rejected Tam's self-defense claim, finding him guilty of intentional homicide and sentencing him to death. He also received a three-year sentence for molestation.
On 7/5, Tam appealed to the Hunan Provincial High People's Court.
A family in despair
Nghi's relatives told the media that with his death, "the only healthy person in the family of four is gone." Local authorities initially planned to place Nghi's wife and children in social welfare, but relatives took on their care.
The village secretary said Nghi's wife and children all have intellectual disabilities and receive minimum living allowances. Their disability certificates classify their conditions as level three, meaning they can only partially manage their personal care. After Nghi's death, the local government increased the family's allowance to the highest level; Hoa's son will also receive support until he turns 18. The government provides an additional 1,500 CNY monthly living expenses and 3,500 CNY monthly to the relatives caring for Nghi's wife and two children. The total support amounts to approximately 5,000 to 6,000 CNY.
Nghi's wife now lives with her brothers at her mother's house. Nghi's son, now in his twenties, lives with relatives and does simple delivery work at the market. Nghi's relatives care for Hoa and her son, teaching her basic farming.
Following the case, organizations urged local authorities to provide greater support and proactive protection for vulnerable families like Nghi's.
Tue Anh (*Dafeng News*)
