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‘I am not a kidnapper’: single father in China nearly arrested after daughter naps in boot during ride-hailing shift

  • The man is divorced and does not live with any older relatives who could take care of his daughter
  • He often allowed the girl to sleep in the boot when she got tired of sitting while he was driving around

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A man in China was mistakenly reported for kidnapping because he allowed his daughter to sleep in the boot while he worked. Photo: Weibo

A false kidnapping report highlighted the harsh reality of a ride-hailing driver in eastern China who had to take his daughter on shifts with him because there was nobody at home to take care of her.

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The man, surnamed Cui, from Zhejiang province, often allowed his daughter to sleep in the boot of his car while he worked. On August 4, one of his passengers noticed movement coming from the boot and she called the police and reported Cui for kidnapping.

When the police arrived, Cui showed the officer his and his daughter’s identity cards to prove he was not kidnapping a child.

“My daughter climbed into the boot and took a nap at noon, and the woman was sitting in the back seat and heard my daughter moving,” Cui told the police officer.

“She jumped out of the car and ran away after I had driven for a few hundred metres.”

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In an attempt to understand the situation, the police officer asked Cui why he had brought the girl along with him. Cui said he had divorced his wife and did not live with any older relatives who could care for the girl. So, he had to bring the girl when he worked as a ride-hailing driver.

Cui said he did not have anyone at home to help him care for his daughter. Photo: Weibo
Cui said he did not have anyone at home to help him care for his daughter. Photo: Weibo
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