The March 30 attack has prompted soul-searching not just in Rowland Heights but also in China ? the victim and her alleged attackers were "parachute kids," part of a new wave of Chinese youngsters who live in Southern California and attend local schools while their parents remain back home.
Parachute kids typically stay in private homes in the San Gabriel Valley, paying for room, board, transportation and substitute parenting from their hosts. Most are in high school, though some are younger, studying here to get a jump start on admission to an American college.
In the attack on Liu, who is 18, three teenagers have been charged as adults and pleaded not guilty to torture, kidnapping and assault. Attorneys for Yunyao "Helen" Zhai, 19, and Yuhan "Coco" Yang, 18, acknowledge that their clients participated in the attack and said they hope to reach plea agreements that dismiss the most serious charges. Torture carries a life prison sentence with the possibility of parole. A lawyer for the third defendant, Xinlei "John" Zhang, 18, argued in court that his client was only a bystander.
