The unusual story started off innocently.  Zhang Yao, 19, met the boyfriend surnamed Xin, 21, on the internet and the pair began a whirlwind romance.  Then Ms. Zhang became pregnant and gave birth out of wedlock in November.

Things weren't looking good, though. Neither Zhang nor Xin had steady jobs and they spent most of their time at internet cafes.  The couple claims that they feared they could not raise the child, so they next sold their child to a man named Li Yong.  The couple received 2,500 yuan ($388) for the child.

That's when the story gets particularly strange.  The next day Xin used his “baby money” to buy a cell phone.  Meanwhile police had caught wind of the baby transactions when Li tried to resell the baby for 10,000 yuan ($1,464).  Removing the baby into protective custody at a welfare center, the cops brought all parties involved in for questioning.

Wu Minghui, a police officer in the Longsha district, has told newspapers that the couple both regret their decision and now want to keep the baby.  Zhang reportedly has been crying non-stop over the decision to offload her youngster, and not even the allure of Xin's new cell phone can dull the pain.  Wu says the police are evaluating the requests and are trying to contact the couple's parents.  He states, "We hope that the family can re-unite, and that the baby will be back with his mother soon."

The police are also considering whether to charge Li, Zhang, or Zin.  According to Chinese law in the region, baby selling is illegal.  If there's one piece of good news from the story it's that the baby is safe and according to welfare center workers is healthy, eating well, and is unafraid of strangers.