A 9-year-old girl in Hunan, China, died from cardiogenic shock after her mother secretly left her at her father’s home, Chinese media reported.
The divorced mother spent time with her daughter before returning her to her ex-husband’s residence. Concerned that the child would be upset, the mother quietly left. The girl soon realized her mother was gone and ran into the street searching for her.
CCTV footage reportedly showed the mother walking quickly across a parking lot and hiding behind a car, ignoring her daughter’s calls. Overcome with emotion, the girl collapsed and was rushed to a hospital, where doctors pronounced her dead.
Her aunt said the girl had no prior health issues and suggested the tragedy might have been avoided if her mother had paused or looked back.
Medical experts said cardiogenic shock, a condition in which the heart cannot pump effectively and organs are deprived of oxygen, can be fatal if not treated promptly. Common causes include acute myocardial infarction, myocarditis, pericardial tamponade, or severe arrhythmias.
