A woman tried to sell her 2yearold daughter through a Facebook ad and was arrested by police. The case happened on Saturday (23rd) in the municipality of Chanduy, Ecuador.
According to the National Directorate of Special Police for Boys, Girls and Youth, the mother offered the child for a price of US$400 in cash (about R$1,900).
The complaint was filed with the police by a user whose identity could not be revealed, who also claimed that the woman intended to complete the hearing on Saturday night (23rd) at a bus station, where she would exchange the child for money buyers .
In an interview with the Ecuadorian newspaper El Universo, the agent of the National Directorate, Ángel Tandazo, explained how the woman introduced her daughter to users interested in making a purchase on social networks.
“On the pictures that have reached us, she gives her phone number so that interested parties can contact the girl,” he explained.
Another factor that caught the attention of authorities was that the woman emphasized in the description of the ad that she wanted to sell her daughter for “personal reasons.”
When questioned by police, she confirmed that she was distraught as she did not have the financial means to support her daughter. She also stressed that she was alone as the child’s father left the family a few months ago.
The mother remains in detention on the basis of prosecutor’s and court orders. The authorities stated that they are taking all measures to protect the child’s interests and rights. Meanwhile, the girl is being cared for by her maternal grandmother, who investigators say was devastated to learn of her daughter’s crime.
According to El Universo, the Santa Elena region has already been the scene of another scandalous attempt to sell children by the family itself. In March, a local couple made a trip to Guayas to meet with people interested in buying their children.
They demanded payment of US$12,000 (about R$60,000). However, they were arrested by the police and lost custody of their children.