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'Web addict' death investigated

2009-08-07 09:27:25

Chinese officials are investigating the case of a teenager who was allegedly

beaten to death at a camp designed to treat internet addiction.

Fifteen-year-old Deng Senshan died on Sunday less than 24 hours after arrival

at the Qihang Salvation Training Camp.

Four members of staff at the facility in Nanning have been arrested over the

death, according to local reports.

China is increasingly taking action to treat what it sees as a pandemic of web

addiction amongst teenagers.

Some estimates suggest up to 10% of the country's 100 million web users under

could be addicted, and a growing number of rehabilitation services exist.

However, there is little consensus on how to treat the addiction.

Tao Ran, director of the country's first internet addiction treatment clinic in

Beijing, told The Associated Press (AP) that most camps chose to use

military-style discipline over scientific methods.

He said this was a particular problem for many of the children because they

suffered from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

"Once you put these kids to the training camps or schools, they are bound to

have problems with the teachers, because...they can't be still, while the

training is all about keeping still," he told AP.

In July, China's Ministry of Health formally banned the use of electroshock

therapy as a treatment option.

Deng's father told the Xinhua news agency that his son spent all his time on

the internet and had decided to send his son to the camp in southern Guangxi

province after seeing an advertisement on television.

According to the China Daily newspaper, an agreement the teenagers' parents

signed with the camp said: "The centre can take necessary approaches including

punishment to educate the teenager, as long as the approaches will not abuse

the child or impair his health."

Camp staff are alleged to have put the teenager in solitary confinement on

Saturday and then beaten him that evening.

Xinhua reported that Deng was found vomiting and was taken to a clinic where he

died. The report also said that local government officials had found several

marks on his body.