A man in China has sparked outrage for abandoning a five-year-old boy at a kindergarten after finding out via a paternity test he is not the boy's father.
The boy was dropped off by the man at his kindergarten in southern China's Guangxi Province last week. He told the school the boy was now the school's problem.
The child remained there for five days because the man as well as other members of the boy's family refused to pick him up
\u201cFather in China abandons 5-year-old son at kindergarten following negative paternity test\n\nhttps://t.co/ccbRZ7kS08\u201d— Nextshark (@Nextshark) 1657678020
The boy's teacher said when he was dropped off his backpack was filled with a change of clothes and a cell phone.
The man previously thought to be his father kept in touch with the school for days but refused to return for the boy.
The boy's kindergarten teacher reported the man previously thought to be his father had dropped him off and picked him up every day since enrolling him at the school in April.
But when the teacher went to the boy's home after his relatives refused to come for him, she found the house empty and abandoned. The whereabouts of his mother were unknown.
After discovering his abandoned home, the boy's teacher contacted police, who reached out to the boy's family. They were able to contact the boy's grandfather and uncle who both also refused to come get the boy.
Abandonment of children is common in China, but comes with heavy penalties under the law.
The man will not be criminally liable since the paternity test proves he is not the child's father, but his mother could be subject to up to five years in prison if she does not agree to raise him.
On social media, people were disturbed by the story.
\u201cWhat a terrible terrible man. Not the child\u2019s fault. I get the man was upset to find out that it really wasn\u2019t his son but you don\u2019t just abandon him. Father in China abandons 5-year-old son at kindergarten following negative paternity test https://t.co/na1BTqk3P9\u201d— baseball31 \ud83c\udf1e\ud83e\udd8b\ud83c\udf3b\ud83d\ude0e\ud83d\udc4b\ud83c\udf0a (@baseball31 \ud83c\udf1e\ud83e\udd8b\ud83c\udf3b\ud83d\ude0e\ud83d\udc4b\ud83c\udf0a) 1657686575
\u201cIs totally not the kids fault. Take the kid leave the cheating mother or go to jail for child abandonment! https://t.co/n5Sb0TIGHz\u201d— The Invisible Man (@The Invisible Man) 1657799096
\u201cThis is phucked up from every angle!!!!!\n\nFather in China abandons 5-year-old son at kindergarten following negative paternity test https://t.co/KjWr3L1jdD\u201d— B.L.A.K. Powder Matters (@B.L.A.K. Powder Matters) 1657701313
\u201cThat Poor Kid. That man doesn't deserve to have any kids after what \nhe did.\nhttps://t.co/FKekDCpeTx\u201d— Leo (@Leo) 1657671014
\u201cThis man was not playing \n\nhttps://t.co/nqEPk50c7U\u201d— Joe Martinez (@Joe Martinez) 1657682863
\u201c@Maytechummia Imagine being that kid. Dropped off at school like any other day, and then your entire reality turns out to be false\u201d— Mayte Chummia (@Mayte Chummia) 1657729439
\u201c@Maytechummia Oh my god \ud83d\ude2e\ud83d\udc94. Heartbreaking. We judge a society by the way it treats it's children.\u201d— Mayte Chummia (@Mayte Chummia) 1657729439
\u201cHow sad\u201d— #444 (@#444) 1657589013
\u201cboth cruel parents\u201d— \u30a8\u30fc\u30b9 (@\u30a8\u30fc\u30b9) 1657678106
The child's mother has reportedly agreed to come get the boy at some point this week.
