Father forces children, including 2-year-old, to kneel on busy road to coerce estranged wife to return

Police intervened, moving the unharmed children to safety. (Representational)

A father in China forced his three young children to kneel in the middle of a busy road in a desperate attempt to compel his estranged wife to return. The incident, which occurred on August 15 in Guangdong province’s Foshan, has ignited a fierce debate on social media about parenting and children's rights.

The distressing scene was discovered by a police officer during a routine patrol. The children, all under the age of seven, including a two-year-old, were found kneeling dangerously close to passing vehicles, while their father, identified as 30-year-old Ling, watched from a nearby flower bed, seemingly indifferent to the peril they were in.

Police intervened, moving the unharmed children to safety and issuing a stern warning to Ling. According to the Southern Metropolis Daily, Ling later admitted that he had lost contact with his wife following a heated argument and believed that forcing their children into such a dangerous situation would prompt her to respond. His wife, who had returned to her hometown seeking a separation, had refused any communication with him.

The incident has since garnered significant attention online, with a staggering 63 million views on Weibo, China’s leading social media platform. The public response has been overwhelmingly negative, with many condemning Ling’s actions as abusive and irresponsible.

One user drew a personal parallel, stating, "My father was the same as Ling. When I was young, my mother wanted to divorce him, he refused and locked me in the house in an attempt to coerce her back."

Authorities have since confirmed that Ling and his children have left Foshan and returned to their registered residence, though the specific location has not been disclosed. The reason for the quarrel between Ling and his wife remains unclear.

In July, a two-year-old boy was struck by a car after his parents made him practice walking by crossing a motorway. Similarly, in June, a parenting blogger faced backlash for placing his seven-month-old son in an unprotected climbing net and on a rolling skateboard, claiming it would enhance the baby’s physical development.