Maybe adoption agencies should reevaluate whether Li is qualified to keep custody of the boy. If the answer is no, then they should make more efforts to find the boy a new foster home.

To some extent, the boy is lucky, because the media highlighted his case. But many children suffer physical abuse behind closed doors, and a large number of them are too young or don't know how and who to lodge a complaint with. As a result, it is hard to detect such cases.

Every time a child abuse case is reported, there are calls for harsher punishments for abusive parents and guardians. But people should realize that early intervention, rather than late remedy, is more important.

In the Nanjing case, police found the boy had been getting frequent beatings since early last year. But kindergarten teachers who learned the boy was being frequently thrashed at home tried in vain to contact his family.

Given these facts, the government should set up special committees in schools and/or communities to prevent child abuse. Teachers and neighbors are often the first to detect child abuse cases. So instead of approaching police after the children are subjected to frequent beatings, they should inform such committees at the first instance and save the children from recurring nightmare.

The author is a senior editor with China Daily. lifangchao@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 04/25/2015 page4)