Mentally ill Chinese man, 37, whose father kept him in an iron cage for 17 YEARS is finally freed
- Xiao Guo, 37, was forced to live in the cage by his father after he became violent
- He went to doctors in Hohhot for help but when money for the pricey treatment ran out, he was locked up for fear he would commit a crime during an outburst
- He was found by a team of reporters last week and taken to a nearby hospital
- A pot of 30,000 Chinese yuan (£3,300) was raised to pay for his treatment
A mentally ill Chinese man who was kept in an iron cage for 17 years has been freed.
Xiao Guo, 37, was forced to live in the cage by his father Lao Guo after he became increasingly violent and tried to burn down the family home in Hohhot, the capital of Inner Mongolia.
His father took then 20-year-old Xiao to a string of local doctors for treatment for his mental health after he chased a family member with a kitchen knife.
But, the family were soon unable to pay for the expensive treatment and terrified Xiao would commit a crime, resorted to a more creative solution.
He was discovered by a team of local reporters last week, cut out of the cage, and taken to Inner Mongolia Third Hospital for treatment.
Xiao Guo, 37, was released from an iron cage he had been forced by his father to live in for 17 years in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia
He was locked in the cage by his father Lao Guo after he became increasingly violent and tried to burn down the family home
His father took then 20-year-old Xiao to a string of local doctors for help for his mental health but when money for the expensive treatment ran out, he locked him in the cage
Doctors have not yet revealed his diagnosis but a fundraising campaign has raised 30,000 Chinese yuan (£3,300) to pay for the treatment.
Lao said: ‘Xiao was always a really smart lad, but then the trouble started and we had to lock him up.’
He explained Xiao had become a teacher after graduating from primary school, before his aggressive episodes started. Lao said Xiao’s mother had left home when his son was ten.
Lao added Xiao only had occasional violent episodes but said fear he would commit a crime while blinded by rage meant he was kept in the cage for nearly two decades.
Xiao was discovered by a team of local reporters last week, cut out of the cage, and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment