Texas Woman Arrested for Allegedly Trying to Sell Newborn on Facebook for ‘Minimum of 150 Bucks’

A 21-year-old woman in Texas has been arrested after allegedly attempting to sell her newborn baby boy to the “highest bidder” on Facebook.

Juniper Bryson was taken into custody last week after she reportedly tried to sell her baby, seeking at least $150 from potential buyers even before going into labor.

Bryson has been charged with one count of felony sale or purchase of a child.

According to Law & Crime, citing a probable cause affidavit, the Houston Police Department received a report on September 23 indicating that Bryson was attempting to sell her unborn child on Facebook.

The day before, she allegedly posted in a Facebook group called “Birthing Mothers Looking for Adoptive Parent(s).”

In her post, authorities say she wrote, “I am in Houston, TX but willing to travel if we can arrange that. I do have a lot of pain and am contracting so it needs to be soon.”

Bryson is also accused of contacting a family member to ask if she knew anyone interested in adopting a child, informing them that the baby would test positive for drugs.

The family member allegedly posted on Facebook, stating that a relative was seeking adoptive parents because she didn’t want the child to end up in the foster care system. According to the affidavit, several people responded to the post.

The relative also told police that Bryson had mentioned anyone wanting to adopt the child “was gonna have to compensate” her.

“What do you mean compensate? Like, pay you $ for the baby? You want $$ for your baby?!” the relative allegedly asked Bryson, adding, “That’s illegal, that’s human trafficking.”

“No it’s not, it’s surrogacy,” Bryson allegedly responded. “Just enough to move into an apartment so I can work a job and get [my daughter] back, or a cheap down payment, or any car to get to different places to DoorDash. Nothing crazy at all.”

The relative stated that they stopped trying to help Bryson, telling police that Bryson was at the hospital with the baby “while she waits for the highest bidder.”

Police reportedly found on Bryson’s phone that she had sent several messages to people, including an interested same-sex couple traveling from Louisiana to the hospital, discussing payment for the child.

In one conversation, Bryson allegedly told the couple, “I’m not waiting to get paid until after [giving birth],” saying she would “ask for a minimum of 150 bucks up front.”

According to the affidavit, that same couple also sent Bryson $25 via Apple Pay “to complete a food delivery.”

“[The prospective parent] stated that 3.5 hours into their trip to Houston, she asked them to send her $150,” the document notes.

The couple also allegedly suggested running the adoption through an attorney, but Bryson reportedly refused. She then asked for $150 before eventually blocking them, saying, “If her baby wasn’t worth $200 to them, then screw y’all.”

Another woman, Wendy Williams, told ABC 13 that she was with Bryson at the hospital while she was in labor. According to court documents, the child tested positive for drugs after birth.

Williams and her husband reportedly named the baby, and they, along with Bryson, allegedly signed notarized legal documents giving Williams the authority to make decisions for the child.

Williams claimed she never discussed paying for the baby but was bombarded with “really ugly” messages after Bryson posted on Facebook that the baby had a home and tagged Williams.

It was Williams who then contacted CPS, stating that she confronted Bryson about the messages she had been receiving from people asking, “How dare you buy this baby?”

Police became involved, and Bryson was allegedly taken from the hospital in handcuffs after custody of the child was revoked from Williams.

Bryson is currently being held in the Harris County Jail on a $30,000 bond. She is scheduled to appear in court again on November 7.

Meanwhile, according to Williams, the baby is reportedly with one of Bryson’s friends.