Miao, who has spent much of his money on missing persons ads and trips to factories, said a man in the eastern city of Hangzhou once phoned him saying he had spotted his son in a factory there after seeing his photo online.
Miao rushed to Hangzhou, where the man asked him for money and then refused to meet him. Miao’s wife sent 100 yuan (US$14.65), and when the man asked for more, he realized he had been cheated.
“When I went, I had so much strength, so much hope that I would be reunited with my son. When I realized I’d been cheated, it was hard, so hard,” he said, his eyes welling up.
The parents say hundreds of others in Henan share their plight, but their vigilante search group has dwindled considerably over the years as relatives lose hope and drop out.
But Miao, Li, Hu and several others say they are determined to continue, despite a lack of help from local authorities.
“I’m asking the government ... to fight continuously, and to severely punish collusion between local officials and businesses, as it’s only with the protection of local governments that shady factories keep going,” Miao said.
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