Kidnapped Child Bride Rescued From 27-Year-Old “Fiancé” And His Mother

A child-bride-to-be escaped what could have been her worst nightmare.

Last February, a woman–identified only by her surname, Yang–met an 11-year-old girl in Guizhou, a southwestern province in China. Afterward, Yang approached the girl’s family to ask for the girl’s hand in marriage for her son, who was 27 years old at the time. The girl’s father refused the proposal, but Yang didn’t take no for an answer.

Yang and her son waited until the girl was home alone and abducted her. The son then brought the girl back to the home he and his mother share in Yunnan, located over four hours away. After spending four days there, the girl was rescued and Yang was arrested. Her son turned himself in to the police four days later.

Months later, on December 15, 2023, Yang and her son both received prison sentences for child abduction. Yang was sentenced by the Shuicheng District Court in Liupanshui to two years in prison, while her son received a seven-month prison. The case sparked public outcry, with many netizens slamming the court for giving child traffickers such lenient sentences.

Unfortunately, this is far from the first time a child has been given willingly or kidnapped in China with the intention of marrying her off. Despite being banned in 1950, the tradition of families adopting female children to raise as future wives for their sons still continues in rural areas.