Chinese Mother Jailed for Selling her Two Sons for Rs 10 lac to Fund Lavish Lifestyle

BEIJING:
In a shocking case of child trafficking, a 26-year-old woman from China’s Guangxi province has been sentenced to over five years in prison for selling her two biological sons for a total of 95,000 yuan (approximately Rs 10 lac) to fund a lavish lifestyle, including shopping and tipping live-streaming hosts.

Identified as Huang, the woman confessed to selling her first son to a relative in October 2020 for 45,000 yuan (Rs 5 lac), citing financial distress and uncertainty about the child’s paternity. The buyer, Li, reportedly came from a family struggling with infertility. The entire amount was allegedly spent on personal luxuries and online virtual gifts.

Authorities revealed that Huang deliberately had a second child in 2022 to repeat the act. She paid a broker 38,000 yuan (Rs 4.5 lac) to arrange the sale of her newborn son, who was later sold for 103,000 yuan (approximately Rs 12 lac). Again, the proceeds were used on upscale goods and digital tips for online streamers.

The grim operation came to light after authorities intercepted suspicious online conversations referring to the sale of children. In April 2022, both boys were rescued and placed under the care of local civil affairs authorities. They are now awaiting adoption.

On July 8, the Fuzhou Jin’an District People’s Court found Huang guilty of child trafficking and fraud. She was sentenced to five years and two months in prison and fined 30,000 yuan (approximately Rs 3 lac). Her accomplices—Li and a former landlord named Wei—were also punished. Wei received a seven-month sentence, while Li was given nine months with a one-year suspension for purchasing a trafficked child.

Human trafficking remains a persistent issue in China, particularly cases involving the sale of children. Experts attribute it partly to societal pressures around male lineage and infertility. While China has introduced stricter anti-trafficking laws in recent years, the case has sparked renewed calls for stronger enforcement and public awareness.