Bolanle Akanji
Moderator
A 20-yr-old mother tried to sell her four-month-old boy on the internet for £150,000. She advertised the ‘beautiful’ baby for sale on the Gumtree classifieds website on Dec. 26.
Police and social services were alerted after some people saw the ad and called the emergency services. The woman was traced and the child and his two-year-old brother were taken into care.
Last night the single mother, who suffers from post-natal depression, said the advert was just a ‘silly joke’ that backfired.
She claimed she had been dared by her ex to put a baby up for sale, but had no intention of going through with the sale and has been left devastated that her two sons have been taken away.
‘It was very stupid and I shouldn’t have done it, but I didn’t think it would be taken seriously.
‘I love my boys and they make me so happy and I want them to be happy. It was just a silly, silly joke.
‘I was crying and begging at this one social worker’s feet, but she just took my son away.
‘I am so upset and just want my boys back. It is my mistake, my stupidity. It should be me who is locked up, not the boys having to live with strangers. This is making my depression even worse.
‘I am so sorry. I have not even been allowed to speak to them on the phone and I don’t know when I’ll see them again. I hope it is soon and they can come back to me.’
The advert which appeared on Thursday evening read: ‘baby, beautiful for sale deposit through pay pal email only’ and included a £150,000 price tag and was later updated to read: ‘baby boy for sale comes with everything included deposit needed as sick of time wasters.’
A user who emailed the mother alleged that she replied to say she was selling the child ‘because it cries’.
The woman’s 40-year-old mother who is a carer, said: ‘I think this is God testing us. I offered to look after the children, but social services wouldn’t entertain that. The boys should be here.’ She said she offered to look after the children but was refused.
The woman would be investigated for human trafficking.
Police and social services were alerted after some people saw the ad and called the emergency services. The woman was traced and the child and his two-year-old brother were taken into care.
Last night the single mother, who suffers from post-natal depression, said the advert was just a ‘silly joke’ that backfired.
She claimed she had been dared by her ex to put a baby up for sale, but had no intention of going through with the sale and has been left devastated that her two sons have been taken away.
‘It was very stupid and I shouldn’t have done it, but I didn’t think it would be taken seriously.
‘I love my boys and they make me so happy and I want them to be happy. It was just a silly, silly joke.
‘I was crying and begging at this one social worker’s feet, but she just took my son away.
‘I am so upset and just want my boys back. It is my mistake, my stupidity. It should be me who is locked up, not the boys having to live with strangers. This is making my depression even worse.
‘I am so sorry. I have not even been allowed to speak to them on the phone and I don’t know when I’ll see them again. I hope it is soon and they can come back to me.’
The advert which appeared on Thursday evening read: ‘baby, beautiful for sale deposit through pay pal email only’ and included a £150,000 price tag and was later updated to read: ‘baby boy for sale comes with everything included deposit needed as sick of time wasters.’
A user who emailed the mother alleged that she replied to say she was selling the child ‘because it cries’.
The woman’s 40-year-old mother who is a carer, said: ‘I think this is God testing us. I offered to look after the children, but social services wouldn’t entertain that. The boys should be here.’ She said she offered to look after the children but was refused.
The woman would be investigated for human trafficking.
