Chinese families torn as death sentence for kidnapper will end hope of finding woman who bought children
- Ringleaders and three accomplices convicted in Guangzhou court
- Father fears kidnapper will take identity of go-between ‘Aunt Mei’ to grave
Two child kidnap ringleaders were sentenced to death and three accomplices were jailed for taking nine boys in Guangdong more than 10 years ago.
The parents are still searching for their children, news website Thepaper.cn said. The death sentences raise the possibility that discovering the fate of the boys could be lost to their families.
Guangzhou Intermediate People’s Court announced the verdict on Friday, sentencing Zhang Weiping and Zhou Rongping to death.
The court heard that Zhang kidnapped eight boys between 2003 and 2005. He distracted the parents and took their toddlers, the report said.
Zhou was convicted of conspiring with Yang Zhaoping, Liu Zhenghong and Chen Shoubi, forcing entry to a rented room, tying up a woman and taking her young son in January of 2005.
Zhang told the court that he sold the boys to clients through a woman known as “Aunt Mei”.