Lawsuits seek reform in wake of starved toddlers

Lawsuits against two government organizations in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, for their reluctance to disclose information in the case of a mother whose two toddlers starved to death after being left home alone went to trial on Wednesday.

On June 21, news that the 22-year-old mother, Yue Yan, had left her two daughters, aged 1 and 2, at home with the door and windows shut and let them starve to death shocked the nation. Yue was later sentenced to life in prison for intentional homicide.

On June 26, five lawyers on June 26 asked the public security bureau, the subdistrict office, the civil affairs bureau and the women's federation in Nanjing's Jiangning district to explain what they had done to protect the children. The four organizations would not provide information.