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Random Attack: Taiwan Man Arrested After Allegedly Beheading 4-Year-Old Girl In Front Of Mother As She Rode Her Bike

By Angelica N. Sumter
Published on: 13:11 PST, Mar 29, 2016

A Taiwanese man was taken into custody today after he allegedly beheaded a 4-year-old girl in front of her mother, according to Asia Times. At approximately 11 a.m. on Monday, a girl –who is only being identified by her surname Liu, and her mother were on their way to the metro station in northern Taipei’s Neihu District to meet with the child’s grandfather and siblings for lunch.

However, as Liu was riding her bicycle on Huanshan Road Sec 1, a few feet from her mother, she became stuck – that’s when a man, Wang Ching-yu, approached her. Her mother initially thought that he was being kind by helping her girl, but to her astonishment, Ching-yu grabbed the 4-year-old girl from behind and beheaded her in front of her mother.

When the Taiwanese girl’s mother “saw the suspect slashing my daughter with a cleaver,” she immediately took action and tried to pull him away, but it was to no avail as the “suspect was too strong and could not stop it.”

Residents and passersby who heard the mother’s screams came to her aid but it was too late as the child had already been decapitated. Sources say the suspect was held down until police officials arrived.

According to NBC News, the suspect – who was previously treated at a mental facility and was convicted of several drug charges in 2006 – lives in the area and had recently purchased the cleaver earlier that day. However, the suspect’s motive was not immediately clear, but an investigation in the random attack is underway.

Ching-yu was later taken to the Taiwan police station, where an angry crowd converged, waiting on the suspect. It was reported that as the suspect was being escorted inside of the building where he would be interrogated for the beheading death of the 4-year-old girl, there was already an angry mob waiting outside of the police station.

In a video footage, the suspect can be seen being escorted in handcuffs – still with blood splattered on his face – while the crowd attacked him and yelled, “stop beating.”
A mother of three, Linda Wang, who learned of the Taiwan beheading tragedy stated that “a mother couldn’t protect her child even though she was standing right near her. How can we feel assured that our children will be safe?”

“In the past, our death penalty laws were very tough,” Wang added. “There wasn’t a long process of court appeals and executions were broadcast. But now offenders know there will be groups protesting on their behalf and they can stay in prison and be fed and housed on taxpayers’ money for years.”

Chairwoman Eva Liang stated that “This kind of random killing shows that Taiwan cannot afford to abolish the death penalty.”

The mother of the victim said, “I never thought this society was so dangerous.” She expressed that before her daughter was decapitated, she was excited to spend time with her two siblings and couldn’t wait to meet with them at the station. She said she is now “very sad. I will never see her again, and she will never see her brother and sister again.”

Lui’s mother went on to say that she asks the public for respect during her time of bereavement, and doesn’t want the public to take pictures of her slain daughter. She added, “If you are concerned about us or have sympathy, please respect us… I don’t wish to see such discussions at the time being.”

However, a makeshift memorial was held for the slain girl the following day, and President-elect Tsai Ing-wen – who is set to take office on May 20 – was also seen at the memorial laying flowers where the Taiwan girl was beheaded. She said, “This incident deals a big blow to Taiwan’s society.”

“Many Taiwanese people are saddened and feel insecure…We should work together so parents don’t have to worry and children can grow up safely.”

[Image via Getty Images/John Moore]

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