Jail for man who caused death of disabled son

Kaohsiung, Dec. 22 (CNA) A man from the southern municipality of Kaohsiung was sentenced by a district court to seven years and six months behind bars Tuesday for causing the death of his 8-year-old son in April.

The boy, who suffered from cerebral palsy, was confined to a wheelchair, according to the Kaohsiung District Court.

The man, identified only by his surname of Lin, was unhappy that a ramp in front of his home was always blocked by motorcycles and often quarreled with neighbors over the issue, the court said.

One day in April, Lin, who had been drinking, again discovered that the ramp was blocked by motorcycles. An angry Lin then rammed his wheelchair-bound son into a motorcycle. The wheelchair toppled over and crushed the boy. When an ambulance arrived, the boy had already died of suffocation, according to the court.

During his trial, Lin said he loved his son very much and described his act as an unintentional mistake.

The judges believed that Lin had shown remorse and sentenced him to seven years and six months on conviction of inflicting bodily injury resulting in death, instead of homicide, which carries a heavier penalty.

The case can be appealed.

(By Chen Ja-fo and Y.F. Low)ENDITEM/J