A man in eastern China has filed for divorce and compensation upon discovering that the three daughters he raised were not biologically his after 16 years of marriage.
The divorce proceedings commenced on Thursday in the People's Court of Dexing City, Jiangxi Province, behind closed doors for privacy reasons, the court said.
Chen Zhixian is seeking a divorce ruling and reimbursement for expenses related to raising the three children due to his wife's deception. The case includes considerations for marital property division, debt settlement, child custody, and claims for emotional distress compensation, as reported by The Paper, citing Chen's lawyer.
"They say family matters should be kept private, but today I'm speaking out, hoping that the law will give me justice," Chen said on social media.
Chen and his wife, surnamed Yu, married in 2007 and have three daughters. In March 2022, Chen discovered his wife's hotel stay with another man, prompting him to demand paternity tests for the three children, revealing none were biologically his.
During the hearing, Chen presented new evidence that Yu gave birth to a fourth child in November 2022 in Shangrao City, Jiangxi Province. Chen alleged that a man surnamed Wu, with whom Yu had an extramarital relationship, was present during the birth and forged Chen's signature on hospital paperwork.
No ruling has been issued at Thursday morning's hearing.
