Man in China sells his baby for $16,000, spends the money tipping female live-streamers

A father in China traded off his own flesh and blood to score some internet points with his favourite female live-streamers. 

Though the parent is facing child-trafficking charges for the misdeed in February, the case in Fujian only came to light recently thanks to a report by Chinese newspaper Strait Metropolis Daily, which Daily Mail picked up. 

The age of the man's baby girl was not stated, but she had been given away to a desperate couple who were unable to have a child of their own. A supposed adoption contract was signed with the man, and he was said to have received 80,000 yuan (S$16,000) as “nutrition fees”. 

The father — identified only as Lu — claimed that he was unable to afford to raise a son and daughter after his wife apparently disappeared. 

After receiving the money for giving away his daughter, Lu splurged on female vloggers he followed on popular Chinese live-streaming app Kuaishou, the court heard. The platform allows viewers to engage with the hosts with “gifts”, an in-app currency purchased with real money. 

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The authorities only got to know about the illegal deal in May when the couple tried to apply for an ID for their “adopted” daughter using a fake birth certificate. 

The Jin'an District People's Procuratorate in Fuzhou have since pressed charges against Lu and the couple, Strait Metropolis Daily reported.

The fate of the sold baby, however, remains unknown. 

ilyas@asiaone.com