Mother Arrested for Selling Her Newborn for 2000 Euros in Spain

(Illustration) The baby's biological mother has six other children who were taken away from her in 2022.

National Police agents have dismantled an illegal baby-selling operation, arresting five individuals in Madrid and Córdoba for their involvement in the purchase and sale of a newborn. The biological mother, who previously lost custody of six children in 2022, allegedly agreed to sell her infant for €2,000 to a couple struggling with fertility issues.

The investigation began in March after the 37-year-old mother filed a complaint, claiming a Córdoba-based family had kidnapped her newborn and demanded €3,000 for the child’s return. She stated that she met a 24-year-old man at a Madrid party in November 2023, confiding in him her fear that social services would take her baby if born in the capital. The suspect allegedly offered to take her to Córdoba, where she would stay until delivery. However, after giving birth, the family refused to return the child and instead demanded payment for her month-long stay.

A 37-year-old Spanish mother has been arrested for selling her baby to a couple for 2000 euros. (Illustration image)

Police uncovered that the mother had, in fact, entered a €2,000 agreement with a couple undergoing fertility treatments. Following the birth, she and the male buyer falsely registered themselves as the child’s parents at the Córdoba Civil Registry. The transaction was completed when the couple withdrew €2,000 from an ATM and handed it to the mother before she returned to Madrid.

Authorities later confirmed that the mother had a history of child custody removal due to neglect, with six children previously placed under Madrid’s guardianship. Investigators determined she later regretted the sale, prompting the buyers to demand not only the return of the €2,000 but an additional €1,000 for expenses.

After verifying inconsistencies in the mother’s initial complaint, police arrested her in Móstoles (Madrid) and detained four family members in Córdoba, including the couple attempting to claim parental rights. The suspects face charges including paternity fraud, illegal detention, document forgery, and false reporting. The newborn has been placed under the care of Andalusian social services.