Two couples who have advertised their babies for sale on mainstream sites are claiming 'it was a joke'. Authorities don't agree. Photo / Chris Skelton
Two couples who have advertised their babies for sale on mainstream sites are claiming 'it was a joke'. Authorities don't agree. Photo / Chris Skelton
KEY POINTS:
There have been two cases in the past week of couples trying to sell their babies on popular websites.
In the most recent, a Canadian couple has been arrested in what police said was an apparent offer to sell a seven-day-old baby girl on Craigslist forC$10,000 ($12,750).
A woman who saw the offer on the popular website alerted police who tracked down the 23-year-old mother and 26-year-old father using a cell phone number that was listed in the advertisement.
Vancouver police said the couple told investigators the offer was a hoax, but were arrested for public mischief with other criminal charges possible as the investigation continues.
"There are so many questions here," Constable Tim Fanning told reporters.
Police said the advertisement described the baby as "very cute" and "unexpected" and that its parents, who could not afford to care for it, wanted to give it a good home.
The child was put in the care of social workers.
In the other cases, this time involving auction giant eBay, authorities in southern Germany took custody of a 7-month-old boy after his parents posted an advertisement the auction site offering to sell him for just two dollars.
Police in the Bavarian town of Krumbach said the baby was placed in the care of youth services in the southwestern Allgaeu region, although the child's 23-year-old mother insisted the ad was only a joke.
Authorities have launched an investigation into possible child trafficking against the baby's mother and 24-year-old father.
"Offering my nearly new baby for sale, as it has gotten too loud," police quoted the advertisement as reading. No offers were made.
