Mother Rejected by Once Kidnapped Son

Fuzhou, China - It goes without saying that Mrs. Ye Jinxiu's life was ruined by human traffickers who kidnapped her infant son and sold him off to another family. Child theft is China is a black market fueled by the nation's internationally denounced practice of allowing only one child per family. Many families want a son to be their heir and are willing to adopt one on the black market.

Chinese society makes the black market of infants successful in part because police are indifferent to the pleas of grieving parents and because those buying the children are able to pay for the cover and immunity required to go on with a seemingly normal life. In Jinxiu's case, nothing short of finding her son would bring her heart peace of mind. Her quest to find him broke up her marriage, estranged her from her family, and has left her homeless. At age 59, she wanders the streets of this eastern Chinese city of 4.4 million trying to help other parents find their lost children.

“Having a child kidnapped is worse than having your heart torn out,” she said, gazing at a huge canvas she had laid out by a bus stop, printed with “missing” adverts and chubby-cheeked faces.

“If someone rips your heart out it takes one second, you die and you’re not aware anymore,” she said.

“If your child is kidnapped and not found, then every day as soon as you wake up, your heart hurts from thinking.”

In her case, she was able to locate her son after 17 years of searching. Ironically, he was not able to appreciate the sacrifices she made to locate him and wanted nothing more to do with her. Given her poor health, Mrs. Jinxiu will likely die a broken woman.

“I don’t regret looking for him. How he lives his life is up to him,” Ye said. “When your child goes missing you can’t stop looking.”

“I found my kid but other parents haven’t found theirs, and I can’t stop looking.”

[caption id="attachment_77791" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Ms Ye Jinxiu (right), 59, displaying pictures of missing children on the streets of Fuzhou on China's east coast Fujian province, helping other parents search for their children, devoting her failing health to what she knows is largely a lost cause, on Oct 23, 2013. The 17-year hunt for her kidnapped son cost Ms Ye Jinxiu her marriage, home and family. -- FILE PHOTO: AFP[/caption]

On The Web:
Mother Ye Jinxiu kidnapped son
http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/chinese-mother-ye-jinxiu-rejected-by-kidnapped-son-17-years-later/story-fnet0he2-1226801049728

Mother Ye Jinxiu Rejected by kidnapped son 17-Years Later
http://tribune.com.pk/story/658452/china-mother-left-homeless-by-17-yr-hunt-for-kidnapped-son/

Mum in China left homeless by 17-year hunt for kidnapped son - but when she finds him, he abandons her
http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/asia/story/mum-china-left-homeless-17-year-hunt-kidnapped-son-when-she-finds-him-he-ab