Chinese media recently reported the strange case of a Beijing family who accused their neighbors of putting their son in the hospital. However, the details of the case sparked a heated debate on social media, because all the neighbors did was order an extra spicy meal. The 7-year-old boy stole it from their doorstep and ate it without permission.
After having their food delivery orders stolen from their doorstep on multiple occasions, a family in Beijing decided to teach the thief a lesson by ordering an extra-spicy meal. Little did they know that the perpetrator was their 7-year-old neighbor who spent most of his time outside playing and had developed a taste for their food orders.
As usual, the boy stole the takeout bag and ran home to feast on it. Only this time, after enjoying the meal, he started experiencing severe abdominal pain and vomiting, prompting his parents to take him to the hospital. He was diagnosed with acute gastroenteritis and hospitalized for several days.
After learning from their son that he had eaten their neighbor’s spicy takeout, the boy’s parents accused the neighbors of poisoning him and demanded compensation for the 2,000 yuan ($290) they spent on his medical expenses.
The accused refused to pay anything, arguing that they should not bear any responsibility for the boy’s medical problems. A lawyer explained that legally, they are in the right. Even if the neighbor knowingly chose a spicy meal knowing the takeout might be stolen again, it was a legitimate and legal civil act. Plus, chili peppers are a common condiment and not a dangerous substance, so it can’t be regarded as deliberate poisoning.
