Beijing, Jan 28 (IANS): A Chinese man, who is father of four children, was arrested for selling his youngest daughter for 28,000 yuan ($4,627) so that he could afford a second son, police said Tuesday.

According to the Minhang District Public Security Bureau, police have detained the suspect from Guizhou province on charges of child trafficking, the Global Times reported.

The child has been returned to her family, said an officer from the security bureau.

The man and his wife, who were married in 2007, already had three daughters and a son, police said.

However, he insisted on having another son because of a tradition in his town that favours families that have at least two sons, the officer said.

As migrant workers, the couple already had trouble supporting their four children, the officer said.

His wife is pregnant with their fifth child, so the man decided to spare a daughter so that he could afford to raise a second son. He convinced his wife to sell their infant daughter to a couple in Jiangsu province.

He told his wife to file a false police report claiming their girl has been abducted to explain his daughter's disappearance, police said.

His wife went to a police station Jan 19 to report that their daughter has been abducted. She said a stranger had drugged her after approaching her on the street. She claimed she fell unconscious after the stranger patted her on the shoulder.

Police did not believe her story, noting that it was nearly impossible to drug someone into unconsciousness with just a pat on the shoulder.

Later they admitted that she and her husband had actually sold their daughter.

The woman was released on bail because she was pregnant.