Couple In China 'sells' Daughter For Iphone:

October 19, 2013

[color=#3F3F3F][font=georgia][size=4]SHANGHAI: A young Chinese couple are facing criminal punishment for "selling" their daughter and using part of the proceeds to buy an [/size][/font][/color][url="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/iPhone"]Apple iPhone[/url][color=#3F3F3F][font=georgia][size=4], state media said on Friday.[/size][/font][/color]

[color=#3F3F3F][font=georgia][size=4]Shanghai prosecutors have brought a case against the couple for human trafficking after they illegally put their third child up for adoption through online postings and accepted money for the baby, the Liberation Daily reported.[/size][/font][/color]

[color=#3F3F3F][font=georgia][size=4]Investigators found the mother, whose full name was not given, used the money to buy an iPhone, high-end [/size][/font][/color][url="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Sports"]sports[/url][color=#3F3F3F][font=georgia][size=4] shoes and other products, also online, it said.[/size][/font][/color]

[color=#3F3F3F][font=georgia][size=4]Apple's products are wildly popular in China, where a teenager sold his kidney and used the funds to buy an iPhone and [/size][/font][/color][url="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/iPad"]iPad[/url][color=#3F3F3F][font=georgia][size=4] in an incident widely reported last year.[/size][/font][/color]

[color=#3F3F3F][font=georgia][size=4]But the couple told police that they wanted the girl to have a better upbringing than they could afford, since they already had two children.[/size][/font][/color]

[color=#3F3F3F][font=georgia][size=4]"Giving away the child was not for obtaining benefits, but giving the child better guarantees," one said.[/size][/font][/color]

[color=#3F3F3F][font=georgia][size=4]Shanghai police and prosecutors could not be immediately reached for comment.[/size][/font][/color]

[color=#3F3F3F][font=georgia][size=4]Shanghai media reports did not give the amount the couple received, but their online postings referred to 30,000 yuan and 50,000 yuan ($4,900 and $8,200).[/size][/font][/color]

[color=#3F3F3F][font=georgia][size=4]Apple last month launched the iPhone 5s, including a gold-coloured model, and the more budget-conscious iPhone 5c in China.[/size][/font][/color]