Shanghai couple accused of selling baby daughter

A young couple accused of selling their daughter for 50,000 yuan ($8,200) face prosecution in Yangpu district, Shanghai, the Jiefang Daily reported on Friday.

The couple, identified by their surnames, Zhang and Teng, were investigated by police in June. In early 2013, Zhang and Teng allegedly sold their child, an infant girl, after they posted information on online platforms.

Zhang, the mother, said she and Teng were just seeking a better-off family for the child, and they did not intend to sell their daughter for money. The couple had two boys before the birth of the baby girl and have been unemployed since they married.

Local procuratorate officials said the online posts included a section under the heading “Price of the child”. This was between 30,000 yuan and 50,000 yuan, and bank records showed that the couple received 50,000 yuan on the same day they gave away their daughter.

Right after they received the money, Zhang and Teng spent it on expensive mobile phones and shoes, the local procuratorate said.