Man pleads guilty to hiding 5-year-old’s body in restaurant

CANTON, Ohio – An Ohio man who reported his 5-year-old daughter missing before her body was found hidden at his family’s restaurant has pleaded guilty to obstructing justice and corpse-abuse charges.

Liang Zhao (Lee-AHNG’ zow) also pleaded guilty Monday to tampering with evidence and endangering children. He agreed to testify against his wife and will be sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Authorities say his wife, Mingming Chen, repeatedly punched the couple’s daughter, Ashley Zhao. They say Liang Zhao tried to revive his daughter before helping his wife hide the body.

Authorities say Zhao told 911 dispatchers on Jan. 9 that his daughter had vanished. Police found her body inside Ang’s Asian Cuisine in North Canton the next day.

His wife’s trial is set for Oct. 16. Her lawyer has declined to comment.