Human Rights Malawi Regional

Missing child found after 24-year search in China

1 Min Read
Missing son found alive

A family in China is on cloud nine after reuniting with their son who was abducted 24 years ago when he was just two years old.

According to BBC, the son’s father, Guo Gangtang, traveled over 500,000km (310,000 mi) on a motorbike across the country in search of his son.

The son had been snatched aged two by human traffickers in front of their home in the province of Shandong in 1997.

The police were able to trace the son’s identity using DNA testing and two suspects were later tracked down and arrested, the Global Times quoted China’s Ministry of Public Security as saying.

The suspects, who were dating at the time, had planned to kidnap a child with the intention of selling him for money, said a report by China News.

After spotting Mr Guo’s son playing alone outside his home, the female suspect identified only by her surname Tang grabbed him and took him to the bus station, where her partner, named as Hu, was waiting.

The couple then took an intercity coach to neighbouring Henan province and sold the child there.

Local media reports say Mr Guo’s son was found still living in the province.

The son’s disappearance actually inspired a movie in 2015, which starred Hong Kong superstar Andy Lau.

Child abductions are a big problem in China, with thousands taken every year.

Maneno Chimulala

I am a journalist, educator, and activist with passion for telling stories about social justice, sports and political issues. I graduated from Mzuzu University. I started my career at the Maravi Post online publication in 2012 as an intern while in college. Upon graduating from Mzuzu University I was offered a job as Sports Reporter because of my background as a goalkeeper and rose to the position of sub editor. I also had a short stint with Nyasatimes, Malawi Punch and Malawi Digest. Over the past seven years, I have worked intimately with rural organizations and communities in Malawi on human rights, girl child education and grassroots development projects. With an academic background in education, I also volunteer as male champion for girls’ education under Girls Empowerment Networks (GENET) in Malawi’s South West Education Division (SWED).