Posted on 08/16/2017 10:23:13 PM PDT by nickcarraway
A Chinese couple sent their teenage son to an internet addiction treatment camp—and within days, he was dead. As the BBC reports, “boot camps” for internet and gaming addictions have become popular in China, with some being criticized as using harsh military-style discipline on attendees.
Some even beat patients or use electroshock therapy. The 18-year-old who died earlier this month in Fuyang had been sent to a camp that promised “psychological counseling and physical training”; according to the Telegraph, the camp said no corporal punishment would be used.
Two days after the teen was dropped off by his mother on Aug. 3, he was rushed to the hospital, where he died. His parents say doctors told them their son’s body had sustained more than 20 external injuries and that he also suffered internal injuries.
“My son’s body was completely covered with scars, from top to toe,” his mother told local media. His cause of death is not yet known, but the director and four teachers from the center have been held by police and the center is shut down as the investigation continues.
According to the Telegraph, it was an illegal camp that had already been ordered by officials to cease operations. The Washington Post runs down similar tragedies at other camps, including the beating deaths of a 15-year-old and a 19-year-old.
Sad.is anybody addicted to helping others? It might be that internet addicts are trying to fill a need for true interpersonal relationship with latest fad/gadgets...
They’re just looking for something that actually reacts.
Bummer.
They could have saved a bunch of money if instead of sending him to camp they just got him the app.
I’m presently reading a book about several young adults in China. One narrowly escaped being sent to camp for World of Warcraft addiction. He persuaded his parents that it was a waste of money ... so they took him back to the farm, where there wasn’t electricity, let alone Internet.
Good choice. Can’t electrocute him to death with shock therapy there.
Nope. He got bored, went back to college, and graduated.
There’s a lot of shady stuff I have read about these “Tough Love” camps. Sadists and Pedophiles just flock to this business as now they can do their hearth’s desire under somewhat legal protection.
It is a complex topic, but I think the answer here is that parents should be held criminally responsible if it can be proven they didn’t give a damn.
Like this case a little more than 20 years ago with 15 year old Aaron Bacon killed in one of these camps - http://articles.latimes.com/1995-01-15/magazine/tm-20285_1_private-school-public-school-gifted
Two other kids had been killed in this same camp before. Parents should have checked this thing, but right now it seems they send their kid to the care of sadists and get money when the kid is killed.
After a score of that kind of incidents and scandals that industry had to somewhat shape up in the USA, but I am sure China is behind in every way and the people from this neighborhood are known to be inventive tortures.
China is very far behind. Deaths in the “rehab” facilities aren’t unusual.
Internet = The New Opium
What was his FReeper name?
-PJ
What they are always doing. When they aren't running away.
Wow! In China scar tissue can form in 2 days. Must be something in the water.
Of course the OTHER OPTION for parents is to simply not buy their kids smart phones, but I guess that’s too much to ask.
Scasrs after two days? It's a miracle.
Yes, they are called sympathy trolls and ultimately, they are doing it for themselves; it is not altruism.
“What was his FReeper name?”
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I don’t know but I can think of a few FReepers that I wish it was.:-)
.
My kids also like to play Disney games online at http://www.friv4online.com/ . They can spend hours playing Disney Debutante Ball and Pooh Bear Honey Truck. That’s true that Disney games can be quite addictive. But I think that playing video games a lot doesn’t necessarily imply addiction. I used to play games when I have short breaks at work. It helps me to get rid of stress.
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