An advertisement on popular classifieds website Gumtree in which a young woman apparently tried to sell her baby has outraged the public in the United Kingdom.
The 20-year-old woman from Bradford reportedly posted an advert to sell her four-month-old baby boy with a price tag of £150,000 (approx: 1 crore and fifty lakh Indian Rupees). She added in the advertisement that the baby "comes with everthing included" and "deposit needed as (she was) sick of time wasters".
The advertisement that was originally posted on Boxing Day (26 December) under the headline "baby for sale" has since been deleted by Gumtree, the Independent reported.
Although it was quickly removed, it was not before scores of people complained about the obnoxious post. A number of Gumtree uses also contacted the UK police who managed to track down the woman, and the two children who were with her were taken away from her care by social workers.
"We are aware of this matter and the child concerned, who is both fit and well, is now being looked after in conjunction with relatives and social services," Detective Inspector Venessa Smith told the Bradford Telegraph and Argus.
"The mother is receiving appropriate care and support at this time."
The mother told a newspaper on Friday that it was just a "silly joke" but members of the public have described the incident as "breathtaking", while the advertisement has received severe condemnation on social networking sites.
"I had been joking with my ex about selling sperm and eggs and he sort of dared me to put up a baby for sale - but I didn't mean our children," the mother told the Mail.
"I put on Gumtree that I was selling a baby for £150,000. I just plucked that number out of thin air and I claimed I was acting as an agent for a friend. It was very stupid and I should't have done it, but I didn't think it would be taken seriously. I love my boys and they make me so happy and I want them to be happy. It was just a silly, silly joke," she said.
