Single father dies during parent-child marathon in China, family questions school’s emergency response

36-year-old single father dies during kindergarten parent-child marathon

On 30 May, a 36-year-old single father died during a parent-child mini-marathon in Shaanxi Province, China.

The deceased, identified as Mr Dong Duan, reportedly collapsed while running with his eldest son and died despite resuscitation efforts.

His family alleged that the kindergarten’s lack of a proper emergency plan caused Mr Dong to miss the crucial window to save his life.

Relevant agencies have since launched investigations into the incident.

Man suddenly clutches chest during run

According to HKo1, the No.1 Kindergarten of Zhashui County held its fourth annual parent-child mini-marathon within its premises and along the riverside leisure corridor.

As each child was required to be accompanied by a parent, Mr Dong accompanied his eldest son on the five-kilometre route, while his ex-wife accompanied their younger son.

The deceased’s sister, Ms Dong Rui, who watched the CCTV footage of the incident, said her brother was seen suddenly clutching his chest and collapsing at 8.21am.

Medical personnel arrived and administered first aid to Mr Dong at 8.27am.

They rushed him to the hospital, but he was ultimately pronounced dead.

Medical records show history of health conditions

His outpatient medical records from the Zhashui County People’s Hospital’s Emergency Department showed that Mr Dong had a history of hypoglycemia and heart disease.

Meanwhile, the presumptive death medical certificate his family provided indicated his cause of death as “sudden death”.

However, Ms Dong also claimed that while her brother has high blood pressure, he had no history of heart disease.

She raised several concerns regarding the school’s organisation of the event, claiming they did not require medical examination reports or health certificates, and did not purchase any accident insurance for the participants.

Additionally, the family believes the kindergarten lacked a proper emergency plan, saying the designated ambulance was about 500 meters from the scene but failed to respond promptly, causing Mr Dong to miss the critical four-minute window for rescue.

Participants reportedly signed waiver

In the kindergarten’s event invitation letter, participants had to sign a “declaration of voluntary participants”.

The document stated that individuals with medical conditions such as heart disease, epilepsy, or high blood pressure, or those unsuitable for strenuous exercise, should not participate.

It also stated that participants would not be entitled to claim compensation for injury, death, or other losses unless the organising committee was found responsible.

However, Ms Dong Rui said the declaration was signed by the child’s maternal grandmother.

Authorities investigate incident

The head of the kindergarten has confirmed that the police have ruled out a criminal case.

However, the school did not respond to the family’s allegations regarding the organisation of the event or the emergency response.

Mr Dong’s family has called on local authorities to review safety measures for extracurricular activities organised by educational institutions and to hold those responsible accountable if any shortcomings are found.

Public security, education, sports, and health authorities have since launched investigations into the incident.

While officials have mediated discussions between both parties several times, no agreement has been reached regarding responsibility or compensation.