Why have the Syrian state security people just tortured a fat child to death for?

Yes, it is over the top even for an Islamic police state. I can only think that they had hoped to make an example of him - if they could do this to a child, they mean no mercy to anyone; however, what it has done is make him a martyr, angered and galvanized more to protest. I pity his poor father who has since disappeared since the youtube posting of his son's body after it was returned. He will probably suffer a similar fate.