An unidentified man helps a child defecate in a bronze statue on a pedestrian street in Changsha, Hunan Province on December 9. The photo was met with public outcry over public defecation. Photo: voc.com.cn

A man who helped a child defecate into a bronze statue on a pedestrian street in Changsha, Hunan Province December 9 is in it real deep online.

Netizens rightfully made a stink over photos that circulated online showing an unidentified man helping a child bend over to use a bronze basket installed along the strip as a toilet.

"It's disgusting. That is really low class," commented Net user "Juanligejuan."

The basket is part of a four-statue series on Changsha's Huangxing Road illustrating the history and culture of the city.

The photo also caused an outcry online over parents who encourage their children to urinate and defecate in public.

A city sanitation cleaner surnamed Liu commented that children often relieve their bowels on the statues with the help of their parents.

"There was another kid who sh*t in that statue yesterday morning. The father was embarrassed and left after cleaning it," Liu told a reporter on December 10.

In addition to excrement, the statues were also littered with used tissues, cigarette butts and wrappers. There are at least 20 restrooms along the street, according to the area's property manager.

Cao Cheng, a director of the business street management committee, explained it costs nearly 1 million yuan to maintain the statues each year. Cao said the committee had ever considered installing protective railings to remedy the problem, but that would also be inconvenient for tourists looking to take pictures with the statues.