Illegal orphanage?

Yuan has been taking care of orphans and abandoned children since 1986, raising money by selling snacks and helping local dealers sell building materials.

"I hired a nurse to help me look after the kids, but she had a second job at the county hospital," Yuan told Xinhua. "She left every morning after preparing the children's breakfast."

Yuan's adoption of abandoned children has been a subject of controversy in the media and among residents. Her orphanage is unlicensed and some people have accused her of using the children to illegally obtain subsidies from the government.

A local social organization reported in 2010 that Yuan had made money through adoptions.

In response to such accusations, Yuan told Xinhua on Friday: "Shoot me if you have evidence that I sold any children."

Wu, the deputy county head of Lankao, said on Saturday that the government had tolerated Yuan's orphanage.

"She has no qualifications to be adopting, but we decided to let her do it after taking her kindhearted acts into consideration," he said.

Wu said the local government has provided Yuan assistance, including basic living allowances for the children.

Civil affairs officials have visited the orphanage from time to time, bringing cash and food to the children, Yuan told Xinhua.

She applied on the children's behalf for the government subsidies, which amounted to about 5,000 yuan ($800) every three months.

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