A Hong Kong couple arrested on suspicion of child neglect have said they were granted a birth certificate for their infant but will only be allowed to take him home once they are deemed “safe parents.” Tsang Wai-bong and Kwan Pui-sin on June 6, 2026. Photo: Supplied. Tsang Wai-bong and Kwan Pui-sin, the parents of a two-month-old infant, Danny, collected the birth certificate from the Immigration Department headquarters in Tseung Kwan O on Sunday, after initially refusing to undergo DNA tests to confirm their parentage.
The couple also told reporters outside the headquarters that they would be allowed to visit Danny for one hour this week and could take him home if they passed a parental assessment with government social workers.
“The social workers will assess our situation, including our ability to act as parents. If the social workers are satisfied with our performance and think that we are safe parents, we believe we can bring Danny home in no time,” said Tsang, Danny’s father.
As part of the assessment, social workers will inspect whether their living accommodation, at a hostel in Lai Chi Kok, is suitable for raising Danny, he said. If it is deemed unsuitable, the government will do its best to find an environment suited to caring for an infant.
Danny is now under a child protection order allowing the Social Welfare Department (SWD) to care for him instead of his parents. Social Welfare Department. Photo: GovHK. Prior to the arrests, Danny had not had any medical check-ups since birth, which security chief Chris Tang said constituted child neglect when he announced the arrests on Tuesday. They agreed to undergo DNA tests and were confirmed to be Danny’s parents on Thursday.
The couple had said earlier that they practised “free births” and that their baby boy was born in Hong Kong around two months ago. His birth was not registered, although Hong Kong law stipulates that parents must register the birth of a newborn within 42 days of delivery.
Free birth, also called unassisted birth, involves a conscious decision to undergo pregnancy and give birth without professional maternity care or medical intervention. The trend has put the lives of mothers and babies at grave risk.
Their admission of practising “free births” gained widespread attention and sparked concern over Danny’s well-being.
Separately on Sunday, labour chief Chris Sun told journalists that Danny was in good condition in a care home and that social workers would continue to communicate with the two parents.
Tsang also said that he and his wife had signed documents authorising the government to send their DNA to Sweden, where their daughter Lily is now living with an adoptive family after Swedish authorities removed her from the couple’s care over health concerns in December 2023.