A suicide attempt by a Guangzhou college student who jumped off his dormitory building ended in killing a girl below.

Deng Guowang, 22, jumped from the seventh floor of the building at Guangdong Pharmacy College on Monday, the first day of the new semester, in an alleged suicide attempt, only to hit the girl on the ground.

The victim, Yang Peiying, a 19-year-old sophomore from Zhuhai, was declared dead hours after being sent to hospital.

Deng suffered a coma but has regained consciousness and is out of danger.

A Daily Sunshine report said Deng, from Jieyang City in Guangdong Province, had wanted to end his life after breaking up with his girlfriend while other Guangzhou newspapers said he was in debt after his business attempts failed.

A Southern Metropolis Daily cited Tan Xiaoliang, an acquaintance of Deng, as saying Deng's family was poor and he had been doing parttime jobs to make money.

Deng was told of Yang's death when he regained consciousness and was said to be deeply depressed. But he repeated he wants to die and became agitated when asked to explain what had happened, the Daily said.

Li Wei, a psychiatrist, said Deng has mental problems and needs urgent treatment to prevent him from trying to kill himself again.

Lawyer Xie Zhenrun said Deng could face trial for accidentally killing others. "If not, the victim's family can claim compensation from him," he said.

Yang's family claimed it was not an accident and complained the school authorities did not allow them access to Deng, from whom they could "get to the truth."

(Shenzhen Daily September 6, 2007)