Father’s Poisoning of Children During China’s Divorce “Cooling‑Off” Period Sparks Nationwide Outcry and Reform Calls

The victims were a 10‑year‑old son and his 7‑year‑old sister. Their father, identified in court filings as Liu Moujie (also reported as Liu Mou mou), is accused of purchasing the pesticide dichlorvos, tying up his estranged wife, Huang Yun, and then feeding the poison to the children. The children were taken to a hospital with clear signs of toxic poisoning but died shortly thereafter. Liu attempted to take his own life the same night; he survived after emergency treatment and now faces criminal prosecution.

The chain of events began when Ms. Huang filed for divorce on May 17, 2024. Under Chinese law, couples who wish to separate must first undergo a 30‑day “cooling‑off” period intended to give spouses a chance to reconcile. In this case, the cooling‑off period became a literal window for lethal retaliation. On May 18, Liu allegedly restrained Huang, confiscated her identification and mobile phone, and prevented her from leaving the home. She managed to escape the following day, but the abuse continued. On May 21, Liu tied her up again and threatened her with the same pesticide he had bought, prompting Huang to call the police. Her brother, speaking from another province, also alerted authorities, reporting that Liu had threatened to kill his sister and had already purchased the toxic substance.

That evening, Liu posted a series of photos and videos on Weibo captioned “the last carnival,” showing him eating and playing with the children. At roughly 22:00, he sent a suicide note to a family group chat and directly to Huang’s brother, admitting previous violence against his wife in 2016, denying any further abuse, and blaming her for alleged infidelity. The note also contained a chilling instruction to “collect the children’s bodies,” a phrase that would later be understood as a prelude to the fatal poisoning.

In the early hours of May 22, Liu administered the poison to his son and daughter. The children exhibited acute symptoms of pesticide poisoning and were rushed to a local hospital, where they later died. Liu’s subsequent suicide attempt failed; medical staff rescued him, and he was taken into custody. Three police reports were filed between May 18 and May 22, documenting a pattern of controlling behavior, threats, and physical restraint, yet no protective orders were issued for Huang or the children.

The case has ignited a firestorm of public sentiment on China’s most popular micro‑blogging platform, Weibo. Users have denounced Liu’s actions with the proverb “虎毒不食子” – even a tiger does not devour its cubs – underscoring the perceived unnatural cruelty of a parent killing his own offspring. Many have called for the harshest possible sentence, arguing that the act was pre‑meditated and executed with explicit intent. Equally prominent has been criticism of the divorce‑cooling‑off system itself. Commentators argue that, far from fostering reconciliation, the statutory 30‑day delay can become a “death countdown” for victims of domestic abuse, especially when the abusive partner remains in close proximity during the waiting period. Some users contend that without the cooling‑off rule the children might still be alive.

The outcry has also focused on systemic failures to protect victims of domestic violence. Despite multiple police calls and clear threats involving a lethal pesticide, authorities did not intervene decisively to separate Huang from her husband or to safeguard the children. Legal experts cited in the coverage suggest that risk‑assessment protocols for domestic‑violence cases are insufficiently robust, and that the current framework does not compel immediate protective orders when a spouse reports being tied up or threatened with poison.

Huang, described by acquaintances as “lazy” in the sense of being economically dependent on a husband who spent time gambling online and treating her as an “ATM machine,” endured the marriage for the sake of her children before finally seeking divorce. Her statements portray a chronicle of financial pressure, coercive control, and repeated physical abuse – a narrative that resonates with many Chinese women who face similar circumstances. The loss of her children has prompted an outpouring of sympathy on social media, with users expressing heartbreak for her “unimaginable pain.”

The first‑instance trial is set for August 21, 2024, at the Fenggang County People’s Court in Zunyi, Guizhou. Huang has confirmed the date, and journalists have reported that Liu’s defense will have to confront a body of evidence that includes police reports, the suicide note, and the damning Weibo posts. The case is likely to become a landmark in the ongoing debate over how China’s legal system addresses domestic violence in the context of divorce, and whether the cooling‑off period should be reformed or abolished for high‑risk families.

As the nation watches the impending court proceedings, the tragedy of a father’s lethal betrayal continues to reverberate. It serves as a stark reminder that legal mechanisms intended to ease the pain of separation can, under certain conditions, become a conduit for further harm. The public’s fierce demand for stricter protection of abuse victims and for accountability within the family‑law system signals a growing awareness that the “cooling‑off” period, once seen as a benign safeguard, may need urgent reevaluation to prevent future “death countdowns.”