Florida mom tried to sell 18-month-old for $500, then just ‘walked away, leaving her daughter behind’: Cops

Jessica C. Woods (Putnam County Jail)

Jessica C. Woods (Putnam County Jail)

A 33-year-old mother in Florida has been arrested for allegedly trying to sell her 18-month-old daughter to a stranger for $500 and then abandoning the child when she was unable to secure a purchaser.

Jessica C. Woods was taken into custody last week and charged with a spate of felonies, including three counts of child abuse and one count each of child neglect, unlawful desertion of a child, and selling or surrendering a minor for money or property, authorities announced.

According to a news release from the Palatka Police Department, Woods on Tuesday, March 5 was observed loitering around a local business in Palatka with her toddler. Palatka is about 90 miles north of Orlando.

An employee of the local business said they had seen Woods and the toddler hanging around in the area for at least “a few days.” The employee told police that she only knew Woods because the woman “frequented the area.” The name of the business and the identity of the employee were not released by authorities.

The anonymous employee then decided to make contact with Woods and asked if she and the child were in need of assistance, police said.

“Woods told the citizen she did not need anything but, offered to sell the child to the citizen for $500.00,” the release states. “When the citizen refused to purchase the child, Woods walked away, leaving her daughter behind.”

Police said the employee picked up the toddler and “immediately” brought her to the Palatka Police Department Headquarters where she relayed what happened to officers.

You May Also Like

‘You can’t do it, and you did it anyway’: Judge accuses Trump admin of blatantly ‘illegal’ deportation of father with protected legal status

President Donald Trump speaks to reporters before signing an executive order in…

In Flagler, Voters Cast Half a Million Ballots in 8 years; 5 Were Non-Citizens. Where’s the ‘Fraud’?

Florida law treats drop-boxes like hazardous materials. (© FlaglerLive) In his March…

Man who murdered pregnant ex-girlfriend in front of her children while she unpacked baby shower gifts whines about his ‘constitutional rights’ during sentencing

Share copy link Background: News footage of the memorial in New York,…

Judge Orders Return of Maryland Man Wrongly Deported to El Salvador Prison

Protestors outside the U.S. District Court of Maryland in Greenbelt rally in…