Late-night police alert, an infant under one year old found dead with bruises and needle marks all over the body; at the “Christmas Tea Party,” people dressed in bizarre costumes, dancing naked, and acting as mounts; A PhD holder, seemingly happy with a stable career and family, was publicly shamed and had her head shaved; an unemployed woman claimed to be “enlightened” and capable of establishing “spiritual connections” ...

What kind of evil is hidden under the guise of “making friends over tea”?

Incident: A male infant died under suspicious circumstances in a scenic area, with numerous doubts at the scene, revealing the shadow of a cult behind it.

At around 3 a.m. on January 5, 2021, the 110 Command Center of the Ya'an City Public Security Bureau in Sichuan Province received a report from the emergency department staff of the city hospital, stating that an infant under one year old was suspected to have died unnaturally at a homestay in the Bifeng Gorge scenic area of Yucheng District, Ya'an City. The 110 Command Center immediately dispatched officers from the Yucheng District Branch to the scene.

When officers from the police station, the criminal investigation team, and forensic experts arrived at the crime scene, they found a male infant lying flat on the bed. A mobile phone at the head of the bed was playing “Buddhist music” that sounded like religious tunes. The forensic doctors accompanying the team immediately conducted an external examination of the dead infant and found blood-tinged secretions in the nasal cavity, needle marks all over the face, back, hands, and feet, extensive bruising on the skin, and signs suggesting the infant had been abused. During the on-site investigation, a large amount of tea water and tea leaves were found inside the house, and a used blood collection needle was retrieved from a garbage bag thrown outside the door.

Fig. 1. Used blood collection needle retrieved from the on-site garbage

According to the investigation, the deceased infant was named Xiaobao, 11 months old. His mother, named “San Ye (three leaves),” had previously worked at a public institution in Beijing but had resigned to stay at home. She came to Ya'an this time to attend a “tea party” with “tea friends” from all over the country.

During the on-site questioning and investigation, the police discovered numerous suspicious points: First, “San Ye” 's account of the infant's cause of death did not match the facts. The deceased infant's body was covered with obvious bruises and needle marks, yet “San Ye” insisted the child died of a sudden illness. Second, the time of death did not match “San Ye” 's account. “San Ye” claimed the infant had just died not long ago, but the deceased infant's body showed significant livor mortis on the abdomen and back, which the forensic doctor preliminarily judged to indicate a death of at least 24 hours prior. Third, “San Ye” 's attitude was unusual during police questioning. The police noticed that regarding the infant's death, “San Ye” did not exhibit the grief expected of a mother who has lost her child, but instead showed a cold attitude.

Fig. 2. Multiple empty dye bottles retrieved from the scene's trash

When questioning the other women at the scene, the police found that they were dressed peculiarly, behaved suspiciously, and were evasive about the infant's death. As the investigation deepened, the police discovered several books in their luggage, including The Key to Immediate Enlightenment and other materials suspected of promoting the cult “Guanyin Method” and its leader “Supreme Master Ching Hai.” They also retrieved blood collection needles, needle boxes, crystal ornaments, bracelets, tea leaves, and other items from the scene.