A Chinese court sentenced a 14-year-old boy to life in prison for the rape and murder of his 15-year-old classmate, a case that became a landmark in juvenile delinquency.The Qujing Intermediate People’s Court announced its verdict convicting and sentencing the defendant who attempted to rape his classmate.According to the court, the incident occurred between the night of July 6 and the early hours of July 7, 2025, when the teenage boy allegedly used violence in an attempt to sexually assault the female victim, China Daily reported.According to the court, the boy strangled the victim to death in an apparent attempt to conceal the crime. He was 14 years old at the time of the incident.The court ruled that her actions amounted to both rape and intentional murder, and described the case as “extremely serious” due to the nature of the crime and its fatal outcome.Noting that the crimes required the harshest punishment, the judges noted that Chinese law prohibits the death penalty for criminals who were under 18 at the time. So the 14-year-old was sentenced to life imprisonment.The hearing was attended by the victim’s family as well as national lawmakers, political advisers and members of the media.