A recent news story did the rounds on social media this week when a 24-year-old student drowned after jumping into a lake, to rescue two children who had fallen in. Many netizens praised his actions and sent their best wishes to his family. However, another version of the story emerged soon after.
According to the child who had been rescued, the young man, Meng Ruipeng, didn’t jump into the water in order to save him; the three had fallen in together. At one point, a parent of the child even went so far as to blame Meng, suggesting that the three had fallen in because he had leaned on a railing, forcing it to collapse.
This version of the story was counteracted by Meng’s family and girlfriend who told reporters that Meng had left his clothes and personal items on a bench before jumping in, proving that his actions were deliberate.
The debate continued and got more and more heated, with witnesses coming forward to claim that they had seen Meng jump into the river to save the children, while other netizens disagreed, suggesting that the children wouldn’t lie, “as they weren’t yet old enough to be corrupted by the world”.
The debate was finally solved at around 01:00 on March 02, when a Henan Business News reporter posted that the mother of one of the children had confessed to telling the children to lie.
The guard rail around the lake was loose and had broken when the children leaned on it. Meng Ruipeng jumped into the water after the children’s families cried for help. The families of the children quickly left the scene and later told the children to lie about what had happened, for fear of being blamed for Meng’s death and forced to pay compensation.
Netizen reactions were varied, with many strongly condemning the actions of the parents. One poster lamented: “Lei Feng is dead in this society”, while another said that this was “a vivid example of the ugliness of human nature”.
Others were unsympathetic to Meng, questioning why he bothered to try and rescue the children in the first place.
Source:news.163.com
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Keywords: Parents Tell Child to Lie about Man Who Drowned During Rescue to Avoid Blame
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A soul like this wasn't meant to hang around hell. Bon voyage noble soul.
Mar 04, 2015 15:56 Report Abuse
While I agree what the family did/said was obviously unconscionable, what does it say of a society when... "Others were unsympathetic to Meng, questioning why he bothered to try and rescue the children in the first place". Please let me exit stage left while shaking my head in disbelief.
Mar 04, 2015 11:28 Report Abuse
Too much homework and not enough swimming lessons.Meng Ruipeng is an example of selflessness. He is more worthy than the largely fictional Lei Feng.
Mar 03, 2015 22:58 Report Abuse
This is just so wrong... someone dies saving your children and the first thing you worry about is compensation? They even go so far as to defame and blame him? There is a horrible sickness spreading in China...
Mar 03, 2015 22:52 Report Abuse
Clarification: "A vivid example of the ugliness of CHINESE nature." --- Attempting to defame someone who just died saving your children is unambiguously Chinese.
Mar 03, 2015 20:52 Report Abuse
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