A toddler in China was forced to live on his own for several days after his mother’s sudden death. His mother, Zheng Yu, died in their home, and currently, no one knows why. According to those who knew her, the woman had a lot of hardships throughout her life. It also appeared that she didn’t have much support. As a result, her death could have been from a series of health problems that seemed to plague her during her life. But authorities do not believe her death was voluntary.
On August 17, 2025, a friend of Zheng Yu contacted police after they weren’t able to contact her for several days, the South China Morning Post reported. Authorities went to check her home in Cangnan County, Wenzhou, Zhejiang province and found her dead.
In the clutter of her home, police found her 2-year-old son. No one knows how long the toddler had been there with his mom’s body.
During his time alone, the little boy apparently ate whatever he could find in the home. He managed to survive by eating snacks, jellies, a pumpkin, and herbal tea. Police found him wearing nothing but a grimy T-shirt and a dirty diaper.
Thankfully, a neighbor took the boy in, bathing him and feeding him. He was then taken to the hospital.
According to the report, Zheng Yu suffered a lot throughout her life. Both of her parents had intellectual disabilities that caused them to rely on welfare. Zheng Yu’s grandmother raised her and her sister.
Those challenges didn’t stop in adulthood. Reportedly, the 28-year-old woman had three children by three different men. Her two older children both live with their fathers. She was in a relationship with her son’s father until February 2025, but after their breakup, she blocked him online.
SCMP reported that Zheng chronicled her health issues on social media. She posted videos of herself receiving injections and made posts about her blood pressure and blood sugar levels. Because of this, her family believes that her sudden death came from an illness. They believe she “would not have abandoned the child to do something foolish.”
“She wasn’t allowed to raise her previous children, so she became very attached to this youngest son. She said she would rely on him for support in her old age,” her relative Chen Lin said. The mom allegedly “even threatened suicide to fight for custody.” Her cause of death is still under investigation.
Doctors say the boy is health and unharmed. He now lives with his father, who has four other children.
