Students at Liaocheng University in Shandong province join a memorial service on Friday to pray for Yue Yue, who died more than one week after being run over. [Photo by Zhang Zhenxiang / for China Daily]

"It was raining heavily and dark. I didn't see anything on the street."

That's what a man named Chen, one of the 18 widely condemned passers-by in the hit-and-run accident that resulted in the death of a 2-year-old toddler in Foshan, said when he showed up unexpectedly on Thursday evening with his wife outside the ICU where Yue Yue was still struggling to survive.

She died from severe injuries at 0:32 Friday morning.

Chen disclosed his identity during the hospital visit. But he still insisted the toddler was beyond his visual range, the same explanation he gave reporters earlier.

"I was looking for my own daughter then. I did not notice she [Yue Yue] was lying on the street."

The surveillance camera showed that Chen was the 16th passer-by who was oblivious of the toddler.

The couple runs a store selling water-heating products, which is only seven meters away from the accident site.

"We have received anonymous critical texts and calls since we took the interview," said Chen's wife. "They questioned my husband about not lending a hand, threatened us to close the store… But the fact is that he did not notice anyone."

The hospital visit is the result of days of contemplation, according to her.

"If we had a guilty conscience, we would not have been here tonight."

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