Man dies at internet café in China, left unnoticed for 30 hours

By Minh Nga July 4, 2024 | 06:16 am PT

For 30 hours, staff at an internet café in eastern China mistook a deceased 29-year-old man for a sleeping patron, only discovering the truth when he failed to respond.

The man visited the café in Zhejiang Province on June 1, and stayed there to play video games.

A café employee contacted the police at 10 p.m. on June 3 after the man, found lying on a computer desk, did not respond to being tapped on the arm, reported Chinese news portal Jimu News.

According to the South China Morning Post, the employee mentioned in the police report that the body had gone cold, prompting him to call the police.

The case went viral among Chinese netizens after a user posted a video on Monday saying that a man died while in an internet café, and there was no patrol staff for 10 hours.

In the video, his family members were holding the portrait of the deceased man and seeking justice from the internet café involved, Jingshi Live reported.

The man, whose identity was not disclosed, had left the café at 6 a.m. on June 2 to get breakfast.

A police officer said according to the breakfast remnants left on the desk, it appears he didn't have lunch on June 2 and may have passed away suddenly that morning.

The man's brother-in-law, Chen, said that his family had refused an autopsy, so it was impossible to determine the precise time of death.

The shop's manager said the man who passed away was a regular customer who usually came every day and stayed for hours.

The manager said that he appeared healthy. 

He said employees assumed the customers were sleeping and therefore did not attempt to wake him.

Police are investigating.