Chinese Couple Sell Baby to Buy Cell Phone

Chinese Couple Sell Baby to Buy Cell Phone

According to a report in the China Global Times, a young Chinese couple sold their infant son and used the money to buy a cell phone.


Citing the Chongqing Economic Times, the China Global Times reports that a 19-year-old girl and her 21-year-old boyfriend sold their baby boy for 2,500 yuan ($366). The couple, both from the Chongqing Municipality, met online and quickly developed a real life relationship. 19-year-old Zhang Yao gave birth to their son in November but the couple believed they were not financially stable enough to raise a baby as neither of them had jobs.

Police say the two sold their son on December 2, six days after he was born, to a man named Li Yong. The baby's father, named only as Xin in the report, then used the money to buy a new cell phone. Li Yong is said to have attracted the attention of neighbors when he tried to re-sell the baby for four times the price.

The baby is currently in a welfare center but the couple is reportedly remorseful. The young mother claims she has been crying since she sold her son and now wants to raise the baby. The father has asked if he can take the baby out of the welfare center.

Police are working to contact the couple's parents. "We hope that the family can re-unite, and that the baby will be back with his mother soon," Wu Minghui, a police officer in the Longsha district, is quoted as saying.

The China Global Times reports police are investigating whether anyone should be held criminally responsible.

A pair of young lovers in Chongqing Municipality sold their baby boy for 2,500 yuan ($366), Chongqing Economic Times reported Thursday.

Police say the couple now feels remorse and wants the baby back.

The baby's mother Zhang Yao, 19, met the boyfriend surnamed Xin, 21, through the Internet. The two quickly developed an intimate relationship. Zhang gave birth to the baby late November, but they have not married.

Police say the couple believed they could not afford to raise a child. On December 2, six days after the baby was born, police say, they sold the newborn baby to a man who gave his name as Li Yong.

Li arranged to re-sell the baby for 10,000 yuan ($1,464) the next day, but his behavior alerted neighbors who called the police.

An investigation revealed that neither Zhang nor Xin held steady jobs and spent most of their time on the Internet.

Their parents were reluctant to support them, so the couple decided to give the baby away – for a price.

Xin told the police that he had used the 2,500 yuan to buy a new mobile phone.

The baby was transferred to a welfare center, the report said.

Wu Minghui, a police officer in the Longsha district, told the newspaper that both Zhang and Xin felt regret for their behavior.

Zhang told the police officer that she kept crying after her baby was sold, and she now wants to raise a child.

Xin also asked the officer whether he could take the baby back from the welfare center.

A staff member at the welfare center told the paper that the baby behaves well, is not afraid of strangers, and has a good appetite.

Wu said the police are trying to contact the parents of both Zhang and Xin.

"We hope that the family can re-unite, and that the baby will be back with his mother soon," he was quoted as saying.

Police are still investigating whether anyone should be held criminally responsible.

Lian Yi, a lawyer in the municipality, said that selling children for money is smuggling and is a criminal offence.

Global Times – Agencies