Hong Kong ‘free birth’ couple lose custody of baby Danny for 3 years

A Hong Kong court has handed down a three-year protection order for baby Danny, an infant at the heart of a child welfare saga, according to the boy’s parents.

Tsang Wai-bong and Kwan Pui-sin with their child Danny. Photo: Save Lily, via Facebook.

The Juvenile Court at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on Friday held a closed-door hearing with Danny kept under the custody of the Social Welfare Department (SWD). His parents were arrested on suspicion of child neglect earlier this month.

The parents, Tsang Wai-bong and Kwan Pui-sin, told reporters after the hearing that the court had ordered that the infant’s protection order be extended for three years, during which the boy will remain under SWD custody, according to local media reports.

The pair are part of the free birth movement, in which parents advocate giving birth without a registered medical professional. Authorities said that Danny had not received any medical check-ups since birth and was not registered.

‘High risk’ of neglect

The couple said on Thursday that an expert panel convened by the SWD had recommended Danny should remain in official custody due to a high risk of child neglect.

Tsang Wai-bong (right) and Kwan Pui-sin on June 6, 2026. Photo: Supplied.

The couple previously said they would be willing to accept government supervision if they can be reunited with Danny. However, the SWD rejected their proposal, they said.

They added that they would not appeal the court’s decision, but hoped to be reunited with their boy. Under current arrangements, they have been allowed to visit him once per week.

The family caught public attention last month after they launched a campaign called “Save Lily.” The parents are fighting for custody of their other child, Lily, whom Swedish authorities took into custody in 2023 over welfare concerns.

According to the couple, a Swedish court is due to process an application by the local social welfare agency seeking a permanent transfer of Lily’s custody to a foster family, with whom the child has been living for the past two years.