Hero proven a fraud over boy’s drowning

By Chen Qian  |   2008-11-13  |     ONLINE EDITION

A MAN praised for trying to save a drowning boy was actually trying to commit suicide and bring the child with him into the afterworld, a newspaper reported today.

The boy died but the man surnamed Tian was saved. Police in Zhong County of Chongqing Municipality caught the man, Nanjing-based Modern Express said.

The 24-year-old suspect told police he was deeply depressed due to great pressure from work and study.

Tian said he decided to kill himself but was afraid to be lonely in the afterworld and hatched the plan to commit suicide in the Yangtze River while holding a child, the report said.

Tian snatched the 6-year-old Shen Lin and jumped into the river on November 4, according to the report.

Shen's grandmother was about 2.5 meters away, but she failed to stop Tian in time. It was a pity that no one saw what Tian did, Shen's uncle told the newspaper.

A passerby saw Tian and Shen struggling in the river. Tian was saved, but Shen's body was found in the lower reaches of the river this week.

However, rumors appeared online on November 8 that Tian jumped into the river to save the boy. The rumor even said Tian was beaten by the boy's family members for failing to save him. Many believed the story and it attracted many clicks, the report said.

Police made it clear that Tian was in custody soon after being saved so there was no chance he was attacked by Shen’s family or anyone else.

Tian also confessed to police he gave up his suicide plan after feeling the cool water and released the boy, who was later washed away by river currents.

Police also confirmed that Tian had suffered a mental disease at the end of last year.