Family seeks compensation for missing child

A couple, whose daughter was taken away from home 18 years ago, has applied for 1.59 million yuan ($260,000) in compensation on Wednesday.

Liu Laogen and his wife submitted the application to the Juantou township government of Anxin county in Hebei province, asking the township to compensate for their economic and psychological losses as their daughter was taken away by government officials 11 days after she was born.

The child, the third of the poor rural family, was born on May 28, 1995. Her birth made Liu and his wife violate the family planning law as they were allowed to have no more than two children.

Officials from the village persuaded them to give the girl to others so that they could be regarded as not violating family planning regulations, but the couple refused the idea. On the night of June 8, officials went to the family's home and took the child, leaving 400 yuan ($66).

The couple sued the township government in 2003, but the local court didn't accept the case, saying the litigation was filed beyond the time limit.

On Dec 15, 2012, the Anxin county government was required by its higher-level government to release all necessary information about the girl in 15 days. But the county didn't do so.

In October this year, the couple filed a lawsuit against the county government, instead of the township government as they did in 2003. The Gaobeidian People's Court accepted the case and held a hearing on Tuesday. The county is in the jurisdiction of Gaobeidian.

At court, the couple asked the county government to release relevant information so they can find the child.

But the Anxin county government told the court that it cannot provide the information required by the family.

There is no information on the whereabouts of the child.