China opens investigation into woman found chained by neck

BEIJING (AP) — Authorities in eastern China are investigating the case of a woman found chained by the neck in a hut in freezing weather, images of which sparked outrage online. The woman, identified only as “Little Plum Blossom,” was found in a shed on the outskirts of Xuzhou city in Jiangsu province late last month, wearing only thin clothing. Reports said she had been married to a local man, had given birth to eight children and suffered from serious mental illness. State media reports say the woman’s hometown is far away in the southwestern province of Yunnan. Authorities are investigating possible negligence by local officials, while suspicions have also been raised that the woman may have been trafficked, reports said.