Story By: John Feng, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Asia Wire Report

Video Credit: AsiaWire

A horrified mother who found her newborn covered in scratches and bruises was shocked when CCTV footage showed they had been caused by his four-year-old cousin.

The incident happened in the city of Jiaxing in East China’s Zhejiang Province, with the unnamed parent also claiming her husband’s family refused to get her son medical treatment for his injuries because it would bring them “bad luck”.

China has recently celebrated the country’s new year and the family argued it was bad luck to visit a hospital during the first month of the new calendar.

Surveillance footage from the room shows the infant boy, who is less than a month old, with his four-year-old cousin on a bed next to him.

In the video dated 7th February, the young girl appears to slap and scratch her cousin before repeatedly punching his face with her clenched fists.

The apparent beating continues for several seconds before the clip ends, with a picture shared by the mother showing the boy’s swollen face and what appears to be a developing black eye.

The mum, who said her niece’s parents apologised for the incident, claims the girl is “untouchable” because she is her mother-in-law’s favourite grandchild.

In instant messages exchanged with an acquaintance, the mother says her niece also attacked her daughter and went unpunished.

She eventually took her son to a local hospital, where doctors confirmed her boy did not come to any serious harm.

The mum did not say whether she had involved the police in the matter.

It is currently unclear what caused the child to attack the baby.

Picture Credit: AsiaWire