Court in SW China upholds death sentence of Yu Huaying for child abducting and trafficking

This file photo shows the Guizhou Provincial High People's Court holds a court session to hear the appeal of Yu Huaying in the child trafficking case on November 2023. (Photo/Guizhou Provincial Higher People's Court)

A court in Southwest China's Guizhou Province on Thursday upheld the death sentence of Yu Huaying, who was charged with abducting and trafficking 17 children, rejecting Yu's appeal, according to Xinhua News Agency.

The ruling is final and Yu cannot appeal again. In accordance with criminal procedure, the case will be reported to China's Supreme People's Court for a review of the death penalty. After approval of the application of the death penalty, it will enter the final stage of execution, according to CCTV News.

In September 2023, the Guiyang Intermediate People's Court sentenced Yu to death after finding her guilty of abducting and trafficking 11 children between 1993 and 1996. Yu and her accomplice sold the children for profit. Yu immediately submitted an appeal against the ruling, according to Xinhua.

In November 2023, the Guizhou Provincial Higher People's Court held a second-instance trial and, in January 2024, ordered a retrial of the case after the police discovered that Yu was implicated in more child trafficking cases. In October 2024, Yu was sentenced to death for abducting and trafficking 17 children. Yu was also deprived of her political rights for life and all her personal property will be confiscated, according to Xinhua.