A Chinese “healer” was recently arrested in London over the death of a six-year-old Australian boy in back in 2015.
The child, who was then suffering from diabetes, had been a “patient” of “healer” Hongchi Xiao at his workshop where he tried to treat him with his signature “slapping therapy.”
According to Sydney Morning Herald (via Shanghaiist), the alternative healer held a traditional Chinese healing workshop in Sydney, Australia for a week back in April 2015.
During the workshop, wherein attendees shell out AUD 1,800 ($1,420) to attend, Xiao introduced a technique he reportedly invented himself which he calls the “paidalajin” (拍打拉筋). The process involves the fasting of the patient in addition to some stretching and slapping on the body until it gets all bruised up.
Xiao claimed at the time that the unique therapy cures a number of various medical problems, including diabetes. In a fatal session, an Australian mom brought her diabetic child to Xiao for treatment. The six-year-old boy would later be found unconscious inside a hotel room, later succumbing to his death.
Authorities believe that the boy died after he was advised by Xiao to stop taking his insulin and start fasting. An investigation would later result in the arrest of the boy’s mother, father, and grandmother for subjecting him to Xiao’s treatment and therefore recklessly endangering his life. They are all now facing manslaughter charges in Sydney.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, conviction of the charges will have the three face a possible jail time of up to 25 years.
During the investigation, Xiao reportedly left the country and continued to hold “self-healing” workshops worldwide.
“This is purely an accident,” Xiao was quoted as saying last year. “This has nothing to do with the workshop. This boy had a lot of diseases, more than we ever know.”
His arrest on April 25, conducted by British police, was at the behest of Australian authorities. He will either be extradited to Australia to face a manslaughter charge or face prosecution in Britain as he has also been linked with the death of a diabetic British grandmother in October last year.
