Public outrage as China woman told to make in-person withdrawal dies outside bank

The Star

28-05-2025

There is public outrage following the death of an elderly Chinese woman outside a bank after she was instructed to withdraw funds in person. -- Photo: SCMP composite/Sohu/X
A bank in China is under scrutiny following the death of a gravely ill elderly woman outside one of its branches, where she was instructed to withdraw money in person.
The incident occurred on May 14 at the Agricultural Bank of China branch in Zhuzhou, Hunan province. The sick customer was brought by her daughter and son-in-law to withdraw 50,000 yuan (US$7,000) to cover her medical expenses.
The 62-year-old woman, known as Peng, had been suffering from diabetes for years. Recently, she had been hospitalised after falling and fracturing her leg, according to Dahe News.
One of Peng's daughters arrived at the bank that afternoon with her mother's identity card and deposit book but was unable to complete the transaction due to entering the password incorrectly several times.
Despite telling the bank clerk that her mother was unwell, the clerk insisted that Peng must be present in person to resolve the issue.
The daughter subsequently called her sister, who, along with her husband, transported Peng to the bank in a wheelchair. However, after an hour, they were still unable to withdraw the funds.
Notably, Peng, who was reportedly not fully conscious with her head leaning to one side, could not comply with the face recognition requirements, which required her to perform movements such as nodding and blinking.
Peng's daughters later took her outside the bank for fresh air, but tragically, she passed away at the entrance.
The case is currently under police investigation, with officials reporting that Peng died from 'a sudden outbreak of illness.'
An anonymous bank employee informed news portal Sina that Peng's relatives had not disclosed her medical condition to the staff.
When Peng arrived at the bank and struggled to cooperate with the procedures, employees suggested that her daughters take her home to rest, a proposal that was rejected by the family.
Local police authorities stated they would soon release their findings regarding the investigation.
On May 16, Peng's nephew announced that the family had reached an agreement with the bank to resolve the matter. The bank will cover Peng's funeral costs and provide the family with 100,000 yuan (US$14,000) as 'consolation money'.
'The agreement is signed between the bank and my cousin [Peng's daughter],' the nephew said. 'We will not pursue the matter any further. We are preparing to return to our rural hometown.'
This incident has sparked intense online discussions regarding the bank's actions.
'Why did not the bank release its surveillance footage to the public? I am sure it has high-quality cameras installed. Instead of sharing the footage, it chose to offer 100,000 yuan to settle the issue. Does this indicate a guilty conscience?' one online commentator argued.
Conversely, another individual raised questions about Peng's family: 'Could it be that her daughters were complicating matters at the bank by bringing their mother despite her health condition?' - SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST