BEIJING (SCMP): A mother in China has sparked public outrage after it was revealed that she sold her two biological sons to fund tips for live-streaming hosts.
The errant mother even went as far as deliberately conceiving the second child solely for the purpose of selling it.
Huang, 26, is originally from Guangxi province in southern China and only has a primary school education.
She later moved to Fuzhou, Fujian province, in southeastern China and made a living doing odd jobs.
Reports suggest that Huang was an adopted child and, due to her lack of education and care from her adoptive parents, left home at an early age.
In October 2020, she gave birth to her first son. However, due to financial hardship and the absence of a known father, she was unable to raise him.
She decided to sell the baby to escape her predicament.
Her landlord, surnamed Wei, learned of her plan and introduced her to a relative, surnamed Li, whose son was infertile and had long wished to adopt a child.
Li’s family bought the baby boy for 45,000 yuan (US$6,300).
Huang spent the entire amount tipping livestreaming anchors.
When she ran out of money, Huang reportedly resorted to even more extreme measures.
She actively sought out men for sex, intent on conceiving another child to sell for profit.
In 2022, Huang gave birth to a second son named Guyu and sold him to a broker for 38,000 yuan (US$5,300), who then resold the baby for 103,000 yuan (US$14,000).
Huang reportedly spent all the money on tips for live-streamers, buying clothes and other extravagant items with the proceeds.
On April 13, 2022, Huang was reported to the authorities for suspected fraud.
A police investigation discovered chat records on her mobile phone related to selling children.
Both boys were rescued by the police in April 2022 and have been placed under the care of local civil affairs departments, awaiting adoption.
On July 8, the Fuzhou Jin’an District People’s Court sentenced Huang to five years and two months in prison for fraud and trafficking, plus a fine of 30,000 yuan (US$4,000).
Li was sentenced to nine months in prison, suspended for one year, for purchasing a trafficked child, while Wei received a seven-month prison term.
Human trafficking in China has a long and complex history.
A market for the sale of people has existed for decades and is often facilitated by families.
The illegal adoption, especially of boys, was seen as essential for continuing the family lineage and enhancing family status.
The case, reported by state media CCTV, has sparked widespread online outrage.
One online observer said: “Is this even real news from the human world? Only five years for abandoning two children? That is way too lenient.”
“No sympathy. She should be sentenced to 30 years to reflect on her crimes properly,” said another.
While a third said: “She is a monster and is not fit to be a mother.” - South China Morning Post
