Woman arrested for attempted sale of daughter

Vu Thi Hien, 26, a native of northern Nam Dinh Province, is under arrest along with Dang Van Dung, 33, and Bui Thi Phuong, 32. Both Dung and Phuong live in Hoa Binh Province, which is also in the north.

The three were arrested Sunday night in Hai Phong’s Do Son District after police received a report of a “suspicious” group.

(From L) Dang Van Dung, Bui Thi Phuong and Vu Thi Hien at a police station in Hai Phong. Photo by police

According to police, Hien and her husband had separated recently and she had moved in with her mother in northern Hai Duong Province. Her daughter is two and lives with her.

However, Hien had spent more money than she could earn and incurred debt she could not pay, police said.

Desperate, she asked Dung and Phuong to help sell her daughter.

As planned, Hien would take the toddler to Hai Phong and wait while Dung and Phuong contact their acquaintances in Quang Ninh Province, which borders China, to see if any families there were seeking children.

The toddler has yet to obtain a birth certificate.

The three culprits could face charges of “trafficking of a person under 16.” One convicted of selling a person under 16 that they are responsible of taking care of, like their own children, can be jailed for up to 20 years.