A 37-year-old woman was arrested in Madrid after she allegedly sold her baby for €2000 to a couple struggling to fall pregnant, according to Spanish media reports this week.
The couple, from Córdoba, were also reportedly arrested along with two of their family members.
The biological mother, who has reportedly lost custody of six other children for reasons of neglect, initially submitted a complaint to the police alleging the couple abducted the baby and were demanding €3000 in ransom.
Social services took custody of the baby while police began investigating the mother’s claims.
During the course of the investigation, police found that the mother regretted selling her baby, but the couple refused to return the infant without receiving both the €2000 back and an additional €1000 for expenses relating to the care of the child.
Why do police believe the woman sold her baby?
The 37-year-old, according to her mother, had reportedly met the 24-year-old man last November while partying in the Spanish capital and had reportedly opened up about her fears that this baby would also be taken from her, La Vanguardia reported. He then reportedly offered to transport her to Córdoba to care for her until she gave birth, but the baby’s grandmother said that the 24-year-old’s family refused to give her her baby until she paid for her stay with them.
Police found during their investigations that the 37-year-old had registered the man as the biological father of the baby at the Córdoba Civil Registry. The man reportedly withdrew €2000 shortly after, which was given to the woman shortly before she was returned to Madrid by one of his family members.
Those involved have reportedly been charged with the crimes of tampering with paternity, illegal detention, document falsification, and issuing a false accusation and complaint.