A desperately poor father tried to give away his baby triplets because he couldn't afford to feed them, is has been reported.
Xu Lin - who already has two sons aged five and six - set up a roadside stall in Dengfeng, Henan province, China, where he allegedly offered the babies 'free to a good home'.
The babies - said to be aged 11 months - were wrapped in quilts and blankets and placed on mats while their father tried to give them to passing strangers.
However, when the authorities were alerted to the dad's desperate act, police swooped to arrest him, believing he was a child trafficker, and the children were taken into care.
One witness said: "He said they were healthy and fit, but he and his wife just couldn't afford to keep them. They had been hoping for one daughter."
A police spokesman added: "He said his family are at breaking point because they cannot afford three more children. This suspect's case is being considered."
China's 'one child' law is frequently flouted outside major cities where parents can pay a fine if they have more than one baby.