In news that will make you cringe, a young, unwed couple in China are in jail for selling two of their kids to fund their gaming habits. According to the mother, the first child, a baby boy, was the result of an unplanned pregnancy. He was sold, along with his sibling, to traffickers from Fujian to alleviate the financial burden of raising kids — and so the couple could use the money to purchase virtual items for an unnamed free-to-play video game.
“[The father] likes buying items in online games, and he likes staying out all night at internet cafes,” the mother explained in an interview. According to her, the father never had any intention of supporting the boy, so they made the decision to sell him. Because, clearly, that’s the only option.
Then, when she got pregnant again, they did it again. It wasn’t until they sold the second child when the kids’ grandfather turned the couple in to the authorities.
It’s no secret that child trafficking is a massive problem in China, where it is illegal. Unfortunately, horrible stories like this are way more common than they should ever be, as awful people sell their kids to other families, gangs, and even street peddlers.
The couple is now awaiting trial.
