Single mother, baby live in KFC restaurant for months

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Single mother, baby live in KFC restaurant for months

(People's Daily Online) 10:04, August 27, 2013

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Xiaoshan holds her baby girl in a 24-hour KFC restaurant in Beijing. (Photo/The Beijing News)

The news of an unmarried mother and 9-month baby girl living in a KFC restaurant in Beijing has caught people's attention.

Xiaoshan (alias), 28, has been living in a KFC restaurant in Beijing with her baby for nearly two months. She said KFC staff didn’t ask her to leave and sometimes customers gave her money, baby napkins, clothes and other necessities to help her.

Xiaoshan said she is not accepted by her step parents because she has a child out of wedlock, so she came to Beijing alone. She makes a living by selling baby toys at night market, but she ended up in KFC. A baby stroller and her belongings occupied a seat in the restaurant and her baby girl can have shower at water tap at late night when there are not many customers in the restaurant.

After Xiaoshan's story was reported by media, her situation was improved.

Public's immediate attention

After Xiaoshan’s story was reported by media, people send food, money, and other necessities to her. (Photo/YNET.com)
"People kept visiting me and donated money, food and other necessities to me and my baby. I am really grateful to those who helped me," she said.

A woman surnamed Song from Beijing invited Xiaoshan and her baby to live in her home until she can stand on her feet. She also offered Xiaoshan a job at a local child charity institution.

A man surnamed Wu from Tianjin asked his friend in Beijing to visit Xiaoshan. Wu said he can offer accommodation and a job to Xiaoshan in Tianjin.

Step father cried after learning Xiaoshan's situation

Xiaoshan’s step father cries after learning her difficulty. (Photo/YNET.Net)
Xiaoshan, from Hubei province, has no partners. She was raised by her step parents who have a mentally deficient son. The family lives on a lock-repairing store.

Xiaoshan's step parents said they wish Xiaoshan to have a stable job and marry an honest man, but Xiaoshan has been headstrong since she was a child. She quit school and left home, and now she is unmarried but has a baby. They were so angry when she came home pregnant.

But after Xiaoshan's father learning her daughter's plight, he cried, saying "Our relationship was broken and couldn’t be fixed up."

Xiaoshan: I want to say sorry to my step parents

Xiaoshan told reporter the reason why she chose Beijing to stay: Beijing is a big city; its media has strong influence; she wants to tell her story on TV and hopes to restore the relation with her angry parents with the help of specialists. She believes they are still a family.

Edited and translated by Wang Xin, People's Daily Online

（Editor：WangXin、Chen Lidan）