Shop owner helps elderly man who later dies, family demands S$19,000 despite her being found blameless
A shop owner in China who helped an elderly man after he suddenly fell ill found herself facing a demand for 100,000 yuan (about S$18,900) in compensation after he later died.
She eventually paid his family 19,000 yuan (S$3,600) as a “humanitarian” payment following mediation — despite authorities finding that she was not at fault and bore no legal responsibility for his death.
The incident involving shop owner Xiao Aihua happened at a card-game parlour in Qidong County, Hengyang, in China’s Hunan province.
According to China National Radio (CNR), the elderly man felt unwell and entered the premises to rest before collapsing shortly afterwards.
CCTV footage shows him entering at around 12.50pm on Aug 17 and sitting on a chair near the entrance.
At around 12.54pm, Xiao appears to notice that something is wrong and calls for help before assisting the man. An ambulance arrives at about 1.01pm.
The man was taken to hospital but later died after suffering an acute episode linked to underlying medical conditions.
Authorities subsequently found no causal link between Xiao’s attempts to help the man and his death. They also concluded that she had done nothing wrong and was not legally responsible for his death.
Family initially sought 100,000 yuan
After the man’s death, his family sought 100,000 yuan from Xiao, arguing that because he had collapsed at her premises and she had helped him, the shop should bear responsibility for his death, reported CNR.
According to Sohu, the family also allegedly threatened to place the man’s body outside her shop.
Two rounds of mediation followed. Xiao initially offered between 2,000 and 3,000 yuan on humanitarian grounds, but the family did not accept it.
A mediation agreement subsequently stated that she would make a one-off 19,000 yuan payment to the family on humanitarian grounds, after which the family would raise no further objections over the dispute.
Xiao’s son told Jiupai News that his father agreed to the payment because the episode had taken a toll on his mother’s health and they did not want to spend more time and energy on the dispute.
She reportedly suffered from insomnia, dizziness and a loss of appetite following the dispute, while the shop temporarily stopped operating.
Local judicial authorities have since stepped in and proposed returning the full amount to her.
Lawyer questions why blameless shop owner had to pay
The case sparked widespread debate in China over whether people could be discouraged from helping strangers if they risk being held financially responsible afterwards.
Speaking to CNR, lawyer Ouyang Qiao said the 19,000 yuan “humanitarian compensation” had no legal basis as a required payment because Xiao had neither caused the man’s condition nor contributed to his death.
He said people were free to voluntarily offer money out of sympathy, but such goodwill should not be turned into an obligation for someone who had done nothing wrong.
Shop owner receives 120,000 yuan in support
The controversy also prompted members of the public and businesses to rally behind Xiao.
On Aug 24, Hunan-based Jintai Rice Industry general manager Gong Shengli visited her family and presented them with 20,000 yuan.
“We’re giving the money because we don’t want your family to suffer an economic loss,” Gong said, adding that the company wanted to encourage kindness in society.
Xiao’s family said they were grateful for the support they had received. “If we encounter someone who needs help again, we will still step forward and do whatever we can to help,” they said.
Chinese entrepreneur Luo Yonghao also said he and several friends had transferred 100,000 yuan to Xiao after contacting her family through The Beijing News.
Luo said simply reimbursing her losses was not enough and felt someone who suffered after doing a good deed deserved emotional support and “a reward”.
He added that people should respect her decision to settle the dispute rather than pressure her to pursue further legal action.
According to reports, Xiao’s family intends to use part of the donated money to help elderly people living in rural areas and people with disabilities.
*This article was produced with AI assistance.
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