Man probed for burning private part of girlfriend’s son

Police in Tinh Bien District of An Giang Province are probing Tran Thanh Hoa, a local man for “abusing,” police said Monday.

According to local authorities, Hoa came to live with a woman who is a single mother three years ago.

Later, Hoa and that woman have a kid together.

In recent times, neighbors have filed reports of Hoa frequently beating the boy.

As police looked into the case, they found several injuries on the boy’s body, including at his private part.

“At first, the boy was scared, saying that it was the ice that hurt his private part [because his family sells ice and he usually helps with delivering the ice]. After a while of being encouraged by the people in charge, he said that it was his mother’s boyfriend who hurt him.”

Working with the police, Hoa said as the boy did not behave, he beat him with sticks, pushed his head into a water tank, and use a lighter to burn his private part.

Police are examining the boy to see how much his body has been injured.

The boy has been separated from his mother and is staying with a relative.