The mother of eight, identified by police as Xiao Huamei, was first sold to a man in Donghai County for 5,000 yuan ($790) in 1998 by a woman in her hometown 3,000 kilometers away in the southwestern province of Yunnan, according to Jiangsu provincial investigators. Though Xiao Huamei managed to escape, she was sold twice again that same year, which included the final deal with the Dong family in Feng County, where she was married to her current husband.
The investigation report, which includes details from the police, prosecutors, and other departments, also said authorities punished 17 officials from Feng County for “dereliction of duty” in relation to Xiao Huamei’s case. They included the county-level party secretary, deputy secretary, head of the county’s publicity bureau, and a senior member of the local state-run women’s federation.
