A 20 year old woman with post natal depression decided to try to sell her newborn son on Gumtree for £150,000. A number of do gooders decided to direct the advert to the police but when they questioned the woman she simply told them it was a joke and had not intention of actually selling her son.
“I put on Gumtree that I was selling a baby for £150,000. I just plucked that number out of thin air and I claimed I was acting as an agent for a friend.
“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.”
She added: “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.
“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.”
Detective Inspector Vanessa Smith, from West Yorkshire Police, said: “The child concerned, who is both fit and well, is being looked after in conjunction with relatives and social services. The mother is receiving appropriate care.”
