JERUSALEM (Web Desk) – Police have held a couple from for trying to sell their 3 month old daughter for $26,000 to pay gambling debts.
His wife, 27, was also under arrest upon suspicion of helping and abetting her husband.
Police started the investigation after obtaining information that a man was looking for a buyer for his daughter.
The inquiry revealed that the man, who was an obsessive gambler and owed about $500,000 to various creditors.
He wanted to sell his baby to cover at least part of the debt.
Jerusalem man arrested for trying to sell his baby daughter to cover gambling debts https://t.co/uPt3oGABQW pic.twitter.com/IX9DuWqkiG
— Haaretz.com (@haaretzcom) December 25, 2015
An undercover police officer contacted, texted and met with the suspect several times posing as a potential customer.
The father tried to persuade the officer that the toddler was healthy and vaccinated.
The existence of another possible customer was later refuted.
The father was arrested immediately after the baby was given to the policeman.
The suspect also said that his wife had been aware of the possible deal and tried to accelerate the bargaining by saying that there was another couple ready to buy the baby.
Her father has now been charged with human trafficking, trafficking of a minor and child neglect.
The baby was handed over to Jerusalem municipal welfare workers.
