A doctor holding a newborn baby Photo: VCG

Responding to reports which said a staff member in the First People's Hospital of Datong in North China's Shanxi Province is suspected of participating in the sale of an infant, the Datong city government has established a joint investigation group and will deal with the violations of law and discipline seriously in accordance with the law, according to CCTV News on Thursday.

Surnamed Wang, the chief obstetrician at the First People's Hospital of Datong, is suspected of facilitating infant trafficking, reported The Beijing News on Thursday morning.

In 2022, Wang allegedly acted as an intermediary in the trafficking of an infant. In May 2022, a 15-year-old girl's baby was sold to a couple. The girl used the buyer's identity for hospital admission process.

Wang also revealed that the infant trafficking case was uncovered during a police investigation into a murder involving the ex-boyfriend of the 15-year-old girl.

According to the prosecutor's non-prosecution decision, the buyer paid 68,000 yuan ($9,000) for the baby, of which 41,000 yuan was given to the seller's mother through an intermediary. Wang's actions were classified as forging official documents, and prosecutors decided not to pursue charges, citing the minor nature of the crime.

Global Times