Couple jailed for selling their baby for an iPad

A young Chinese couple are facing
many years in jail after allegedly selling
their baby daughter to raise money for
an iPhone and other luxury goods.
The couple, identified only as Miss
Zhang and Mr Teng, are said to have
placed anonymous advertisements in
newspapers suggesting they would be
willing to part with their baby –
unborn at that stage – in exchange for
50,000 yuan (about £5,000).
Police in Shanghai have charged the
couple with human trafficking after
accepting money for the baby, who
was born at home and still only
weeks, or months old, when sold.
Having received the money, which was
deposited in their bank account, the
couple went out on a spending spree,
using part of the proceeds to buy an
iPhone and trainers, Daily Mail reports.
The unemployed couple, who have two
other children, were also accused of
using the money to purchase a number
of luxury goods.
In an attempt to hide that they were
behind the sale of a child, the couple
tried to conceal the fact that Miss
Zhang was pregnant and she had even
gone to the length of giving birth at
home.
They are said to have told neighbours
that the baby bump during Miss
Zhang's pregnancy was a tumour.
They are understood to have told
prosecutors that they were acting in
their daughter's best interests, claiming
they had hoped to find a home for her
with a financially stable family who
would be able to provide her with an
eduction. But prosecutors said they
believed the couple's bank records
show they had hatched a 'sinister
conspiracy' to profit from the sale of
the baby.