Newborn girl is abandoned next to a rubbish bin by her Chinese parents because 'they wanted a boy'
- A baby was deserted by her parents just hours after being born in Guangdong
- The parents reportedly ditched the newborn because they wanted a son instead
- The infant was discovered lying next to a filthy rubbish bin by a street cleaner
- She was sent to a welfare centre and her parents were later caught by police
A newborn girl has been deserted in southern China by her parents who ‘wanted to have a son’ instead, says local media.
The infant was abandoned by her father next to a filthy rubbish bin just hours after she was born because the family already had two daughters.
She was later brought to a local welfare centre by the authorities after a street cleaner spotted her and contacted police.
The Chinese infant was said to have been abandoned by her father next to a filthy rubbish bin in Guangdong just hours after she was born because the family already had two daughters
Police officers were called to the scene in Guangdong province of southern China after the infant was later found by a street cleaner. A team of medics also arrived to check the baby
The parents were detained on suspicion of abandonment soon after the incident took place in Dongguan city of Guangdong province, according to an official statement.
The 21-year-old mother, Ms Li, gave birth to the baby in the wee hours of July 29 at a rented flat. They were said to be disappointed after discovering the newborn to be a girl.
The father, 24, known by his surname Zhang, told the police that ‘his dream of having a son was shattered’ when their third daughter was born, reported Dongguan Television.
Traditionally, baby boys are preferred by Chinese parents because of their ability to carry forward the family name.
The parents decided to desert the baby girl because ‘they couldn’t afford to raise three children altogether.’
The couple rushed to the decision in such a hurry that the newborn did not even get named, said the local press.
She was later brought to a local welfare centre by the authorities after a street cleaner spotted her and contacted police. The baby is seen being looked after by medics at a local hospital
Soon after the baby’s birth, Mr Li left home with his daughter and ditched the newborn next to a rubbish bin in the neighbourhood.
CCTV footage released by Qiaotou police shows the father walking on the street in the dark while carrying the baby girl.
Police officers were called to the scene after the infant was later found by a street cleaner. A team of medics also arrived to check the baby’s condition.
Another clip shows the young child covered with cloths before being brought into an ambulance by a doctor.
She was then sent to a local welfare centre after being discharged from the hospital the following day.
CCTV footage released by Qiaotou police shows the Chinese father, 24, known by his surname Zhang, walking on the street in the dark while carrying the baby girl in the wee hours of July 29
The parents were arrested in their flat on August 2 after the police launched an investigation
The parents were arrested in their flat on August 2 after the police launched an investigation.
They were both detained under the suspicion abandonment, said the authorities. Mr Zhang has been taken into custody while Ms Li has been released on bail for a pending trial.
Such crime can result in a sentence of up to five years, according to Chinese laws.
According to the latest statistics, around 100,000 babies are abandoned in China every year - an equivalent to more than 270 a day.
Under Chinese criminal law, any parents who desert their children can face imprisonment of up to five years.
However, in reality, few of them are given punishment due to a lack of law enforcement.
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