A Chinese couple reportedly sold their two newborns to help offset the costs of their online gaming addictions, Games in Asia reports, citing a Chinese-language website.
After each of the unplanned pregnancies, the couple decided to sell their newborn infants to child traffickers in the Chinese province of Fujian, they reportedly told Guangdong TV.
The young couple, referred to as "A Hui" and "A Mei," reportedly admit they are addicted to online games. Gamers in China, where free-to-play games are extremely popular, spend money on in-game purchases on weapons or armor.
“[A Hui] likes buying items in online games, and he likes staying out all night at internet cafes,” A Mei told reporters in an interview with Guangdong TV, which we first saw on BetaBeat. The money they received for selling their children funded their in-game purchases, according to news reports.
A Hui's father reported his son and his daughter-in-law to local authorities, and the couple was arrested. Currently, A Hui and A Mei are in jail awaiting trial.
Internet addiction is a problem with fatal consequences. Late last year, another Chinese couple allegedly sold their daughter to human traffickers to purchase an iPhone. In South Korea, internet gaming addiction led to the death of a two-month-old infant, whose parents reportedly abandoned her to play games in Seoul's internet cafes.