Shanghai Couple Trades Their Newborn Baby for Apple Inc's iPhone, $8,300 in Bank Account

A Chinese couple in Shanghai will face charges for selling their baby and planning to use the money buy Apple Inc's iPhone, shoes and other items they had long wanted to buy online.

The unemployed couple named only as Mr Teng and Ms Zhang had reportedly began posting ads for the baby in June 2013, according to Jiefang Daily, a Shanghai newspaper. In the advertisement, the couple said they were willing to trade their unborn child in exchange for 50,000 yuan or $8,300.

It was in the couple's intention to deliver the baby at home to cover up their plans. After Ms Zhang gave birth to a baby girl, they gave up the baby within the same day and received a large sum of cash in their bank account as payment.

Reports also said that the Chinese couple defended themselves and told prosecutors they were only thinking about the welfare of their baby. They claimed they just wanted to have their baby in the care of a family that is financially stable so the child will grow up to be educated.

The Shanghai newspaper also reported that the couple said they gave their baby away since they wanted a secure future for their child and because of money.

According to the prosecutors' investigation, the bank account of Mr Teng and Ms Zhang is clear evidence that they had connived in a "sinister conspiracy" to benefit financially by selling their baby. Prosecutors have in their possession a credit card report with information about the couple's purchases after the sale of the baby.

Records showed that among the things they bought on their shopping spree were Apple Inc's iPhone and a pair of high-end trainers or shoes. The prosecutors also accused the couple of keeping Ms Zhang's pregnancy a secret to hide their crime. Reports said the couple told neighbours Ms Zhang had a tumour growing in her stomach.

In 2012, seven people were jailed in the Hunan province of China after buying a kidney from a 17-year-old boy. The Chinese teen sold his kidney to buy Apple Inc's iPhone and iPad since he couldn't come up with the cash without doing so.

The Xinhua news agency reported the incident after the boy confessed to his mother while he was undergoing surgery for renal failure.