A case that has dragged on for a year reached a crescendo of sorts yesterday, with the latest hearing of evidence in a family feud as to why five Nanjingers went travelling, but only one returned, leading one of those involved to sue his niece for ¥807,000.
Yesterday, 18 August, saw the case heard in Tangshan Court of Jiangning District People’s Court in Nanjing.
It all dates back to May of last year, when Qian Liyong, a resident of Tangshan, reported to the media that strange and tragic events had one after another unfolded when his five of his relatives spent 10 months away from home.
Firstly, Qian’s sister, Qian Limei He, committed suicide by jumping from a high-rise hotel in Shangqiu City, Henan Province. Then, the remains of his father, Qian Xude; mother, Huangfu Hongying; and cousin, Li Lanzhen, were found in the freezer of a rented house in the Jinjing Garden residential community in Luohu District of Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province.
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The lone survivor who returned home was Qian’s niece, Miao Keyan.
Qian said during yesterday’s trial that the feud revolved around three controversies, including whether Miao and her mother were at fault for the death of Qian Xude and others. Both sides exchanged evidence and opinions in court. Other family members also testified, claiming that Miao and her mother had previously taken the others elsewhere for tourism many times without informing their families.
In a preliminary hearing held on 30 July, Miao stated saying that the reason for the five-person trip was on account of a family conflict between her grandparents and uncle Qian. Miao also claimed that her uncle had beaten both her and her grandmother, reports The Paper.
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During the trip, with the elderly all embarrassed for each other and their health failing, Miao said that they refused to see a doctor and eventually passed away, and that their bodies were placed in the freezer without telling the family for fear of speak outing and intensifying the conflict.
As a result, police investigators ruled out homicide and determined the case to be a criminal matter.
In the additional aspects to the case, after the only survivor sued her uncle for a missing share of the inheritance, among which is the family residence in Tangshan, Qian took his niece to court for infringement, seeking an order that Miao compensate him for the death of his parents, their funeral expenses and spiritual damages, a total sum of ¥807,000.
The judge adjourned yesterday’s trial after 3 hours, stating a separate notification for the next hearing. Reporters requesting an interview with Miao’s lawyer were declined on the grounds of “inconvenience”.
