Chinese police rescue baby allegedly sold by doctor

Photo taken on Aug. 4, 2013 shows a baby rescued by police from an infant trafficking in central China's Henan Province. On July 17, a gynecologist surnamed Zhang from Fuping County Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, allegedly sold the newborn to a man and woman from neighboring Shanxi Province, surnamed Pan and Cui, for 21,600 yuan (3,494 U.S. dollars), according to the county's public security bureau. Police found that Zhang lied to the mother of the baby born on July 16, telling the mother that her child had a congenital infectious disease and disability, then the gynecologist tricked the mother into letting her handle the baby. By far, Zhang, Pan and Cui have all been detained by police. (Xinhua)

Police on Sunday rescued a newborn who was allegedly sold to human traffickers by an obstetrician in northwest China's Shaanxi province.

The baby was recovered in neighboring Henan Province, but DNA tests must be conducted to confirm its identity, said a statement by the government of Fuping County in Shaanxi.

The baby boy was allegedly sold for 21,600 yuan (3,494 U.S. dollars) by an obstetrician from Fuping County Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital one day after he was born on July 16, according to the government.

The doctor, surnamed Zhang, has been detained on suspicions of human trafficking, local police said Friday.

Police said Zhang allegedly obtained the baby by falsely claiming that the child had congenital diseases, convincing the mother to abandon treatment and allow the doctor to handle the baby.

The mother, a woman surnamed Dong, later realized that her baby might have been abducted and reported the incident to police on July 20.

Two people from Shanxi Province surnamed Pan and Cui, who purchased the baby from Zhang, have also been detained. They sold the baby for 30,000 yuan.

By Friday afternoon, another four families in Fuping had reported experiences similar to Dong's to local police, the local government said.

A further investigation should be launched to determine whether the other families' newborn babies were trafficked and if their cases are related to Dong's case, the local government said.