The Taiwanese boy who was thrown to the mat 27 times during a judo class in April has died after two months in a coma.
The seven-year-old boy, surnamed Huang and known by his nickname Wei Wei, died in hospital on 29th June.
The incident took place during a judo lesson in the district of Fengyuan in the Taiwanese city of Taichung on 21st April.
The 67-year old instructor, surnamed Ho, ordered a 10-year-old student to throw the victim over his shoulder 20 times, despite the youngster’s pleas halfway through.
The instructor then personally slammed the boy on the mat a further seven times, according to local media.
During the exercise, Huang told the instructor that his head hurt and that he did not want to continue and at one point vomited, however, Ho repeatedly told him to get to his feet and go again, according to reports.
The incident was filmed by the boy’s uncle, who took him to his first classes after he expressed an interest in judo earlier that month, to show his mother that the sport may not be right for him.
The boy passed out around 9pm and became unresponsive, and the instructor called for an ambulance.
The seven-year-old victim was taken to Feng Yuan Hospital where doctors said his injuries resembled those of road accident victims and included severe intracranial haemorrhages.
An emergency craniotomy was carried out and doctors declared the boy as being in a “brain dead state” afterwards.
Doctors added that he would probably remain in a vegetative state for the rest of his life if he survived. However, they only gave him a slim chance of making it through.
At around 9pm on Tuesday, two months after he went into a coma, Huang’s parents agreed to take him off life support after his heart rate and blood pressure continued to fall in recent days.
Speaking on behalf of the boy’s mother, Taipei City councillor Chen Ching-lung thanked residents for their support and said the family would press ahead with the funeral arrangements before making any further statements.
Meanwhile, Ho was indicted for causing bodily harm on 4th June, however, his charge will now be changed to ‘injury causing death’ and he faces seven years in prison if convicted.
The authorities have also charged the instructor for violating the Protection of Children and Youths Welfare and Rights Act, which could lead to further penalties.