A 21-year-old woman named Juniper Bryson was arrested for trying to sell her newborn baby on Facebook. Reports say that on September 22, just days before she gave birth, she posted in a group called “Birth Mothers Looking for Adoptive Parent(s)” saying she lived near Houston but was willing to travel.
Bryson was in contact with a family member who was looking for someone to adopt the baby. She mentioned that the baby might have drugs in his system. The family member then posted to see if anyone was interested in adopting the baby. They said Bryson needed someone to be there for her during labor and to take the baby home, as she didn’t want him to go into foster care.
Bryson told her relative that she wanted “compensation” for the baby, which the relative pointed out was illegal. In their phone conversations, Bryson said she needed money to move into an apartment and get a cheap car for work.
A same-sex couple drove from Louisiana to Texas, thinking they were going to adopt the baby. However, Bryson asked them for $150 before they could talk more, and then refused to take their calls.
Another person involved was a licensed foster care provider named Wendy Williams, who stayed with Bryson at the hospital for three days after the baby was born. Williams noticed that Bryson was struggling with drug withdrawals and thought she was just in a tough situation. Williams and her husband even signed documents to take care of the baby.
However, when people on Facebook accused them of trying to buy the baby, Bryson got upset and had Williams removed from the room. Williams then decided to contact Child Protective Services, which led to Bryson being arrested just days after giving birth. Before leaving the hospital, Bryson took back her permission for Williams to care for the baby.
In the end, the judge gave the baby to one of Bryson’s friends. Williams expressed sadness not just because they didn’t get to keep the baby, but also because she was concerned for the baby’s safety.
Bryson was taken to jail and her bond was set at $30,000.
