The People's Court of Pinggu has ordered a married couple to compensate the son of a neighbour who collapsed during a quarrel with them and later died.

Last September, Zhao's wife discovered a small pile of rubbish outside their front gate and suspected the couples' elderly neighbour, Luo, of leaving it there. They had often quarrelled with the old woman over other matters.

Zhao, his wife and Luo were heatedly arguing over the rubbish when the elderly woman suddenly collapsed.

Luo, who was diagnosed as having suffered a heart attack, died a month later.

Luo's son sued the neighbours. The court ruled Zhao and his wife partly responsible for the woman's death and ordered them to pay Luo's son 1,131 yuan (US$136.60).

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