The case of a woman who allegedly died due to frequent abuse by her husband and parents-in-law was sent back a court in East China's Shandong province for a retrial.

The victim, surnamed Fang, from Dezhou in Shandong, was allegedly frequently beaten by her husband and parents-in-law because she could not get pregnant.

According to the public prosecutor, beginning in July 2018 Zhang Bing and his parents repeatedly abused Fang by starving her, beating her with a wooden stick and keeping her standing outside in winter. On Jan 31, 2019, Fang was repeatedly beaten by the three, resulting in her death. She was 22.

In January 2020, the Yucheng People's Court sentenced the three for the crime of abuse. The victim's father-in-law, Zhang Jilin, received three years in prison, her mother-in-law, Liu Lanying, got 26 months in prison, and her husband Zhang Bing was sentenced to two years in prison with a three-year reprieve.

A statement issued by Yucheng People's Court said the court gave the three defendants lighter punishment because they truthfully confessed to the facts of the crime, which shows repentance. Also, their relatives voluntarily paid compensation of 50,000 yuan in advance.

The case has drawn wide attention online since local media exposed the alleged abuses.

Fang's family filed an appeal with the Dezhou Intermediate People's Court.

The Dezhou Intermediate People's Court recently annulled the first rulings on the three defendants and ordered the Yucheng People's Court to retry the case.

The Yucheng People's Court in Dezhou city said in a statement on Tuesday that it had formed a new collegiate bench and planned to hear the case in public on Thursday.