Mother sells her two children to gamble

Trinh Lan Anh, originally of Krong Buk District, Dak Lak Province, sold her two daughters for a total of VND7.5 million (US$468) earlier this month in order to feed her gambling addiction.

Lan Anh and her two children, aged five and two years old, rented a house in Dinh Quan District, Dong Nai Province, and earned a living selling lottery tickets. On February 5, Lan Anh sold her older child to Nguyen Van Hien of Dinh Quan Township for VND2 million ($125). After losing the entire sum, she sold her other child to Sam Minh Phuoc, of the same district, for VND5.5 million ($340).

On February 15, Lan Anh came to the district police station to confess her crime. While the men who paid for the children both claim they simply intended to adopt the girls as their own, police are treating the crime as a child trafficking case. Further documentation is being prepared for prosecution.

(Source: VNA)