Spanish police have arrested a 37-year-old woman accused of selling her newborn baby for €2,000 (about $2,270) to a couple in the southern city of Córdoba. Authorities said the baby is now under the care of social services in the Andalusia region.
The investigation began in March after the woman filed a complaint with police, claiming her daughter had been kidnapped by a family in Córdoba. She claimed the family was demanding €3,000 to allow her to see her baby again. But as police dug deeper, they found inconsistencies in her story.
In her statement, the woman said she met a 24-year-old man at a party in Madrid in November 2024. She reportedly told him she feared losing custody of her unborn child. Authorities had previously removed six other children from her care due to a 2022 court ruling that found the children were living in neglect.
Based on the woman’s version of events, the man offered to take her to Córdoba and support her until the baby was born. She claimed the plan was to return to Madrid with her newborn, and that the family had agreed to bring her back days after the delivery.
She told police that when a week passed without seeing her daughter, the family began sending threats. She claimed they demanded €3,000 as repayment for her stay in Córdoba if she wanted to see the baby again.
However, police later concluded that the kidnapping story had been fabricated. Investigators believe the woman had arranged to sell the baby to a couple in Córdoba who were undergoing fertility treatment.
After giving birth, she accompanied the couple to the local civil registry, where the newborn was registered under her name and that of the man from the buyer’s family, who was listed as the father.
Shortly after the registration, the man reportedly withdrew €2,000 from an ATM and gave the money to the mother. Another family member then drove her back to Madrid.
Police said the woman later regretted the decision and demanded the child’s return. In response, the family reportedly asked her to repay the €2,000 along with an additional €1,000 to cover her stay.
Authorities arrested the mother and four members of the buyer’s family. Police intercepted the group as they were taking the infant to a pediatric appointment. The baby remains in the custody of child welfare services as the investigation continues.
