'Thoughtless idiots': Video shows dad dangling son over cliff for photo
A terrifying video showing a father dangling his young son over the edge of a cliff for a photo opportunity has emerged.
The dangerous stunt was captured by tourists on July 12 visiting the winding mountain path known as Hongjing Road in Beijing and was posted on China’s social media website Weibo.
In the video which has been viewed over 13 million times in 24 hours, a man can be seen squatting as he holds the arms of a boy who is perched on the side of a steep brick wall while another man leans over to take a photo.
At one point the man appears to shake the boy’s arms in an effort to get him to look at the camera.
The video has since gone viral with tens of thousands of people leaving horrified comments about the dangerous behaviour.
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“Oh my god, taking your child's life as a joke just for some photos! A bunch of stupid and thoughtless idiots!” one person commented.
“This could have ended in tragedy,” another person wrote.
“I’m speechless, this is so dangerous,” one person added.
The stretch known as ‘Devil’s Road’ because of its 18 hairpin turns was once an important defensive point during the World War II, but the 18.94 kilometres of the rural roadway have since been converted into a scenic spot popular with tourists.
An observation deck was added to its highest point, which is is 904 metres above sea level at the 14km marker.
Other tourists can be seen watching as the father continues the potentially fatal stunt but none intervene. It was still unclear whether local authorities would issue a fine to the parent.
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