China sentences teenager to life imprisonment for murdering classmate

SHIJIAZHUANG, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese court on Monday sentenced a teenager to life imprisonment and another to 12 years in prison for killing their 13-year-old classmate.

The two, surnamed Zhang and Li, were convicted of murdering the victim. They killed the victim and buried the body in March 2024, when they were both 13 years old.

Another defendant, who was also involved in the process but did not directly participate in the killing, was not given criminal punishment.

The court ruling said the acts of the two sentenced were particularly brutal and they were both between 12 and 14 years old at the time of the crime, so they should be held criminally responsible for their acts.