China woman sentenced to 5 years in jail has 3 babies in 4 years to avoid prison time

The woman confessed that had divorced the father of her children and had given away all three babies. (Representational image)

A Chinese woman has made headlines after being able to avoid going to jail by getting pregnant three times in four years. Known by the pseudonym Chen Hong, the woman was convicted of fraud and was sentenced to five years in jail in December 2020.

But instead of serving her term behind bars, Chen exploited a legal provision that allows pregnant women and nursing mothers to temporarily serve their sentence outside prison, typically under community correction at home or in hospitals, South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported.

Between 2020 and 2024, Chen gave birth to three children with the same man, each pregnancy resetting her eligibility for incarceration deferral. Under Chinese law, convicts in such circumstances must submit medical reports every three months and are subject to regular inspections by local correctional institutions.

But during a routine inspection in May 2025, a procurator discovered that Chen was not living with her newborn, and the child’s household registration was listed under her ex-husband’s sister—making the baby legally someone else’s. Her first two children were also found to be living with her ex-husband.

Faced with the evidence, Chen admitted she had divorced the father of her children and had given away all three babies. The local procuratorate concluded that she had deliberately used pregnancy as a tactic to escape jail time.

Since less than a year remained on her sentence, Chen was sent to a detention centre to complete her term. Authorities also dispatched legal staff to explain the law to her and ensure she was willing to serve her sentence legally, the publication reported.

As her story went viral, reactions on social media were swift and emotional. “I pity the three children who were born only because their mother wanted to escape prison,” SCMP quoted one user as saying. Another added, “I was more shocked that she could get pregnant when she wanted.”