Child abduction in China is such a common occurrence in China that it’s not even called “child abduction”. And yet that’s what happened to mentally-handicapped 14 year-old Ah Huan: kidnapped off the streets of Zhongshan, Guangdong Province, Ah Huan was repeatedly sold as a child bride before being abandoned for being “worthless”.

Ah Huan faced tragedy early in her childhood when she was given a strong tranquilizer at an early age that debilitated her cognition and memory. On August 30, 2010, Ah Huan’s mother beat her because she suspected Ah Huan of stealing money from her sister. Upset, Ah Huan left her Yinwan North Street apartment in Qiwan Village, and never returned.

It was only three years later on March 14, 2013 that Ah Huan’s fate was discovered when Duan Yumin confessed to police.

Duan Yumin was driving his three-wheeled vehicle on Yinwan North Street when he saw Ah Huan. The worst possible excuse to be inferred as a compliment, Duan thought the mentally-challenged 14 year-old girl to be pretty. Duan decided she would be a good wife for his son, Duan X* Zheng, and took Ah Huan aboard his vehicle and back to his Wanxin Plaza apartment.

In turn, Duan’s son brought Ah Huan back to his hometown in Henan Province. After two months, however, the son didn’t think that his fourteen year-old bride was capable of having children, and so gave her back to his father Duan Yumin.

Ever the opportunist, Duan thought that if Ah Huan wasn’t a suitable wife for his son, then his investment could find a proper home when put on the market. In November 2011, Duan offered to sell Ah Huan to Wang Shuai. Duan started with an opening offer of 18,000 yuan, but settled on Wang’s counter-offer of 12,000 yuan. Wang then took Ah Huan back to his Henan hometown where he sold her to his second uncle Kang X Chan for 15,000 yuan.

Unfortunately at this point, Ah Huan’s story was drawing to a close.

Three months after he had bought her, Kang was displeased with his new wife. Kang had complained to Wang that Ah Huan was misbehaving; because she had tried to start a fire, Kang wanted to exchange her. Ten days later, Kang was told that Ah Huan was abandoned in Xinyang city, Henan.

Ah Huan’s current whereabouts are unknown. She would now be 18 years old.

For this crime, three people were found guilty of kidnapping and human trafficking. Duan Yumin was sentenced to six years in jail and given a 10,000 yuan fine. Li Fazhen, Duan’s unmarried common-law partner, was sentenced to eighteen months in jail and given a 4,000 yuan fine. Wang Shuai was sentenced for five years and six months and given a 8,000 yuan fine.

Both husbands of Ah Huan, Duan X Zheng and Kang X Chan, were not named as part of this court case.

* “X”, when used in names, refers to information not released by the media/officials.

Photo: 0760114