A mother in Brazil was arrested for attempting to sell her 27-day-old baby to pay for baking lessons in a disturbing case of alleged human trafficking, police report.
The woman, along with three accomplices, was taken into custody after authorities intercepted the transaction in the city of Goiânia, about 560 miles north of São Paulo.
Neighbors alerted the police to the planned sale, which was set up by the woman and her boyfriend. The mother, who was reportedly dealing with postpartum depression, intended to use the money to cover rent and fund a cooking course.
The sale was arranged by the woman’s boyfriend, who is not the father of the child, and his roommate. They planned to sell the baby to a local businesswoman, though the buyer’s intentions remain unclear. The businesswoman, who owns an ice cream shop, denies any wrongdoing, claiming she was only babysitting the child when police arrived.
However, a text message exchange obtained by Brazilian media revealed the businesswoman’s true intentions. In the messages, she asked for a “big-breasted” woman to give her the child, adding that a boy or a black baby would be preferable.
The businesswoman had previously expressed interest in adopting a child through the National Adoption Registry, though she was not on the waiting list.
The mother admitted to authorities that she had been offered money in exchange for the baby, which she planned to use for her rent and the baking course. Goiás Civil Police chief Humberto Teófilo confirmed the mother’s confession, saying she expected payment in the coming days.
The baby has since been placed in the care of child protection services and is now in a shelter. Shelter counselor Paulo Wanderson said the child was hungry but in stable condition, consuming an entire three-ounce bottle.
Wanderson added that if no family member comes forward within 24 hours, the child may be put up for adoption.
All four individuals involved are expected to appear in court on Monday.
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