Texas woman charged for attempting to sell baby online

21-year-old Juniper Bryson from Texas, United States, was detained and placed in custody last week after allegedly trying to sell her newborn baby on Facebook. She wanted at least £120 from potential adoptive parents before she even started giving birth.

On September 23, 2024, the Houston Police Department was alerted to a case involving Juniper Bryson, who had allegedly attempted to sell her unborn child through a social media site. The day before, she had posted in a group named "Birth Mothers Looking for Adoptive Parent[s]," mentioning her location in Houston, Texas, and expressing openness to relocation if arrangements could be made. She added that she was experiencing intense pain and contractions, indicating urgency in her situation.

According to an anonymous relative, on 24 September, Bryson was in the hospital "waiting for the highest bidder." This person reportedly explained to her that demanding money from people who wanted to adopt her child is human trafficking, which is explicitly a crime. Bryson allegedly insisted that she would be "a surrogate this way." She needed money to rent a flat and find a job.

The police search of Bryson's phone revealed that she sent direct messages to several individuals who responded to her "offer" post. In one conversation, the woman reportedly told a couple on their way from Louisiana to be with her in the hospital: "I am not going to wait for payment until after birth." She wanted "a minimum of £120 upfront."

This condition arose after the couple sent her money for a meal. When the potential parents mentioned arranging the adoption process through a solicitor, Bryson allegedly blocked them on Facebook, even though they were already on their way to Houston. Bryson mentioned expecting "compensation" for the child in conversations with at least seven people. Her first court hearing is scheduled for 7 November.