BEIJING (AFP) - – A 24-year-old female kindergarten teacher has been detained in southwest China after allegedly stabbing more than 20 children with a syringe to discipline them, state media reported Tuesday.
The woman, Sun Qiqi, was taken into custody at the weekend in Yunnan province after angry parents complained to police about the alleged abuse at the unlicensed school in Jianshui county, the China Daily reported.
One mother, Zhou Limei, said her four-year-old daughter had been stabbed multiple times last week, on the back of her left hand and on her bottom.
It was not immediately clear if the alleged syringe contained any hazardous materials. Children were given ultrasound examinations and HIV tests which were negative, the China Daily said.
"Although the blood test shows the children are HIV-negative, I hope the government gives us proper compensation," Zhou told the paper.
The Global Times reported that Sun had confessed, saying she had pricked the children to "tame" them and that she was overwhelmed by the 37 three- and four-year-olds in her charge.
One three-year-old boy had eight needle wounds, and was allegedly punished for refusing to take a nap, the newspaper said.
School principal Bai Yali told the Global Times she knew nothing about the incident, and that Sun's performance had been "good".