A son and his parents have been reunited after he was kidnapped 32 years ago aged just 2. His mother, Li Jingzhi, has spent three decades looking for Mao Yin and never gave up hope of finding him.
Li received a call when at her work in 1988 telling her that the boy had been taken during a short trip outside with his father. His father said that he had stopped for just a moment to get a drink of water from a hotel. It was then the boy disappeared out of thin air. Despite initial beliefs that the boy had walked off, it became clear after a search of the local area that the incident was a kidnapping.
At the time, China was under a one-child policy which meant families could only have one child per couple. Under some extreme circumstances, families took other people's children and, sometimes, couples that could not have children of their own purchased young children on the black market.
Despite a huge campaign by the family, including the printing of hundreds-of-thousands of leaflets, absolutely no leads were found.
A major step forward for Li, and other parents in her situation, came when the Chinese government launched a DNA database in 2009, through which parents and siblings could potentially be reunited.
Then in May this year, Li got a call from the Chinese police. Mao Yin had been found. The lead emerged from a tip that a man matching his description was living in another village. After the man was convinced to take a DNA test, his identity was confirmed. The case had been solved after 32 years.
It later transpired that Mao Yin, now known as Jia Jia, had been kidnapped as a baby then sold to a childless couple for around $800 USD.
The details regarding the couple that bought him have not been revealed and it is not thought that the authorities are seeking any sort of prosecution.
While the son and parents are now reunited, and will be close going forward, there is no indication that Jia Jia will leave his adoptive parents or move village. Something that Li is accepting of. She said:
"He's a grown-up now. He has his own way of thinking. He has his own life. Jia Jia has got married and has his own family. So I can only wish him well, from a distance. I know where my son is. I know he's still alive. That's enough."
Photos: Li Jingzhi/GETTY Images
COMMENTS