Hong Kong parents arrested after 11-year-old girl filmed struggling to carry 24 beer cans, claim it was ‘motor skills training’
The couple insists the unusual task was meant to improve their daughter's motor skills, but police are investigating suspected child abuse.
Hong Kong police arrested the parents of an 11-year-old girl after a viral video showed her struggling to carry 24 cans of beer while her father allegedly scolded her. The couple denied abusing their daughter, claiming the unusual task was meant to improve her motor skills.
The footage made the rounds online on Tuesday, showing the girl carrying two plastic bags of beer cans and a damaged schoolbag through Tuen Mun. According to Hong Kong Free Press, the 38-year-old father and his 32-year-old wife were arrested on Wednesday, October 7, on suspicion of child abuse. Both were subsequently released on bail Thursday night, according to TVB News.
Passersby offered to help the girl, but she reportedly turned them down out of fear that her father would reprimand her. When he showed up with two other children, the witnesses confronted him. Rather than reassuring his daughter, he allegedly called her a “useless person” before finally taking one of the bags off her hands.
Her parents say the beer can-carrying was training
Before their arrest, the couple reportedly told local news outlet HK01 that the incident was a misunderstanding. They denied mistreating their daughter and said the beer-carrying was intended to help with a condition affecting her physical coordination.
The girl reportedly told the outlet that she had previously carried eight cans, followed by 16. Tuesday was her first attempt at carrying 24 beer cans. She also said her parents cared about her, despite acknowledging that she struggled to carry heavy objects.
The couple claimed that all three of their children have special needs and that there are insufficient support services in Tuen Mun. While supporting children with disabilities can require adjustments to everyday activities, the parents’ explanation does not establish whether carrying two dozen beer cans was appropriate for their daughter.
Motor skills training can involve exercises designed to improve coordination, strength, and everyday movement. However, occupational therapy programs are generally tailored to a child’s abilities rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach, let alone any child-oriented exercises that involve beer cans.
Police are looking into the case
Police received a report at approximately 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Their preliminary investigation suggested that the girl had been exercising and had picked up the beer voluntarily.
However, the case was later transferred to the New Territories North Child Abuse Investigation Unit, which launched an investigation into suspected ill-treatment or neglect. The authorities’ involvement places the focus on protecting children from abuse, rather than simply accepting the parents’ account of what happened.
The allegations carry serious legal consequences. Under Section 27 of Hong Kong’s Offences Against the Person Ordinance, willfully mistreating or neglecting a child under 16 in a way likely to cause unnecessary suffering or harm can lead to criminal charges. A conviction can carry up to 10 years in prison. Given that the parents value motor skills training, this potential sentence seems like quite the lengthy workout.
The Social Welfare Department also stepped up to the plate. They contacted the family and said social workers would arrange a multidisciplinary meeting to assess the children’s needs and determine what assistance might be appropriate. TVB News also reported that all three children were undergoing health assessments at a hospital, while the mother required hospital treatment after leaving police custody.
Both parents are now out on bail as the investigation continues. While they may have claimed that carrying beer cans was an exercise in motor skills training, it seems the authorities aren’t ready to let that explanation carry the weight.
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