China's top court has reiterated the importance of family care in protecting children, urging judges nationwide to severely crack down on crimes involving the abuse and mistreatment of minors.

In a landmark case disclosed by the Supreme People's Court on Tuesday, a lower court sentenced a woman to death for prolonged abuse that led to the death of a child, describing the offense as "extremely serious".

The SPC highlighted the ruling as reflecting a "zero-tolerance" approach toward those who harm children, and called on courts across the country to demonstrate firm judicial resolve and intensify efforts to fully protect the health and safety of minors.

According to details released by the SPC, a woman surnamed Wen cohabited with a married man surnamed Tian. From February to December 2023, Tian lived with his biological daughter and Wen. During this period, Wen and Tian frequently abused the girl by tying her up, hanging her, forcing her to stand for long periods, and subjecting her to cold and hunger. The pair also repeatedly beat the child with their fists, slippers, spatulas, wooden sticks and other objects.

On Dec 21, 2023, after Tian left for work, Wen severely beat the child with a phone charging cable and other objects because she wet the bed, causing the girl to convulse and collapse. Wen then called Tian home, and the two took the child to a hospital, where she died at the age of 2 despite rescue efforts.

The lower court found that Wen, in collusion with Tian, abused the young child with whom they lived, and determined that their conduct constituted both the crime of abuse and the crime of intentional injury.

The court said Wen's actions were long-term, continuous and repeated, and that the beating on the day of the incident directly caused the rupture of the victim's right atrium, leading to her death.

"This conduct severely violated social morals and the fundamental principles of humanity," the court said. "Given the particularly heinous nature of the crime, the cruel methods used and the severe social impact, we determined that she should be severely punished."

Wen was ultimately sentenced to death for intentional injury and abuse, with lifelong deprivation of political rights. After review and approval by the SPC, the death sentence was carried out.

The lower court said Tian, as the victim's father, not only failed to stop Wen's abuse and beatings, but also condoned and participated in them, making him a principal offender as well.

"However, considering his role in the crimes, we sentenced him to life imprisonment for the combined offenses of intentional injury and abuse," the court added.