A Chinese man named Dong Hai has been caged inside a small stone cell for the past 30 years by his parents, who pass food through a small hole in the wall.
Dong, 46, was caged when he was 16 years old after he displayed signs of mental health issues, according to the Daily Mail. He has not set foot outside the 50-square-foot cell, located in eastern Fujian Province, since then.
Dong Watou and his wife Xiao Hong, the parents, who are now elderly, said that they caged him because they were scared he might hurt someone. They attempted to get help at local hospitals but the medical facilities refused them.
Photos published by the paper show Dong, who appears unkempt with long hair, in what appears to be a bare stone cell with small holes in the side. He appears to sleep on a bamboo mat with blankets.
The parents pass food through the holes, and the father uses a modified shovel to scoop out excrement.
His mother also sprays water at her son to clean him and the ground.
They said the land in their village was confiscated by local communist officials for real estate development--a practice that Amnesty International says is one of the leading human rights problems in China--and it has left the two parents without a stable source of income.
Dong Waitou said they are doing odd jobs to gain income. He said he was attacked by a drunk driver last year and required surgery.
Last year, it was reported by the Huffingon Post that another Chinese family locked a man inside of a cage for most of his life, leaving him unable to stand or walk, and he can only now crawl.
Wei Yun, 23, was locked up after he sustained severe injuries when he was two years old when he spilled boiling water.
Wei’s parents said they caged up for his own safety.
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