LOS ANGELES: Three Chinese students have been jailed in California for attacks against two classmates that included burning one of the victims with cigarettes and forcing her to eat her own hair.

The three attackers and their victims are among thousands of Chinese students known as “parachute kids”, who travel to the United States to study and stay with host families while their parents remain in China.

Yunyao Zhai, 18, was sentenced on Wednesday to 13 years behind bars, Yuhan Yang, 19, was sentenced to 10 years and male co-defendant Xinlei Zhang, 19, got six years.

All three had admitted the charges of kidnap and assault and apologized in court for their actions.

Investigators said the case against the defendants revolved around two separate attacks in March.

Published in Dawn, February 20th, 2016