A woman in China was sentenced to over five years in prison after selling her two biological sons to fund her addiction to tipping livestream hosts and purchasing luxury goods, according to the South China Morning Post (SCMP). The 26-year-old woman, surnamed Huang, hails from Guangxi province in southern China. With only a primary school education and lacking a stable support network, she relocated to Fuzhou in Fujian province and took up various odd jobs to make ends meet.In October 2020, Huang gave birth to her first son but, due to financial difficulties and the absence of the child’s father, decided to sell him. Her landlord, surnamed Wei, connected her with a relative, surnamed Li, whose son was infertile and seeking to adopt. The child was sold for 45,000 yuan (approximately US$6,300), and Huang spent the entire sum on livestream tipping.
When the funds were depleted, Huang resorted to even more drastic measures. In 2022, she deliberately conceived a second child, named Guyu, with the intention to sell him as well. This second son was sold to a broker for 38,000 yuan (US$5,300), who later sold the baby for 103,000 yuan (US$14,000). Huang again used all the money on extravagant spending, including online tips and clothing.
Authorities were alerted to Huang’s activities on April 13, 2022. During the investigation, police discovered chat records on her phone detailing negotiations related to child trafficking. Both children were rescued and are currently 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 child trafficking, alongside a fine of 30,000 yuan (US$4,000). Li received a suspended nine-month sentence for purchasing a trafficked child, while Wei was sentenced to seven months in prison.
