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A three-year-old boy has died at a Chinese centre for autistic children which uses punishing exercise regimes to treat a disease of the “rich and lazy.”

Police have opened an investigation into the rehabilitation centre in the southern city of Guangzhou, which makes children walk up to 20 kilometres (12 miles) a day and forces them to lie in incubators to “cure” them through sweating.

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It is run by self-taught medical practitioner Xia Dejun, who believes the condition is a result of wealthy families spoiling their children.

His centre focuses on building up physical endurance as a means of helping children “recover.”

We had no other choice but to send Jia to this centre

The death last week of Lai Jiari, known as Jia, prompted anger in China, where it is being seen as the latest tragic case relating to alternative therapies. It also highlights the lack of specialist care available in the public health system.

Initial tests said there was no “unnatural” cause of death, but police are continuing to investigate.