NationStates Jolt Archive

Authorities take custody of a 7-month-old boy; mom says ad was joke
The Associated Press
updated 9:43 a.m. ET, Sat., May. 24, 2008

BERLIN, Germany - Authorities in southern Germany have taken custody of a 7-month-old boy after his parents posted an ad on eBay offering to sell him for one euro, or about $1.60.

Police spokesman Peter Hieber says the baby was placed in the care of youth services in the southwestern Allgaeu region.

Hieber said on Saturday that the mother told police the Internet ad was only a joke. Authorities have begun an investigation into possible child trafficking against the parents.

No offers were made for the child in the two hours and 30 minutes the ad was posted. The Internet auction site deleted the posting later.

Several people who saw the ad alerted police.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24804721



Thoughts?

lol

Ya I'd have to agree with the "lol."

Either the authorities are stupid for taking a joke seriously, or the parents are stupid and morally inept. Either way, the kid's fine, and the situation is hilarious.

TRAFFICKING! Why would they be selling their baby for 1.60 then?

This just seems like an ill-advised joke that the police are taking a bit too seriously. Of course I would have to see the ebay page, because if it was a joke, then it would look like one.

Click Stand;13716452']TRAFFICKING! Why would they be selling their baby for 1.60 then?

This just seems like an ill-advised joke that the police are taking a bit too seriously. Of course I would have to see the ebay page, because if it was a joke, then it would look like one.

That was me, I would like to have seen the page. There is a fee to list on eBay so the parents had to pay a small fee for it. I wonder if someone had bid on it if they would have also been charged for 'trafficking'. :p

over priced


*floods the market with cheaply made babies*

I think we have another possible candidate for a 'living' Darwin Award...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24804721

Thoughts?
Did that include postage and packaging?

One euro? I'll pay three!

/me bids.

Damn, I think the German couple tried to rickrolled eBay.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24804721



Thoughts?

How silly, you could part him out for way more than that.

Either:
A) This is absolutly hilarious, or
B) This is horrible and immoral by almost anyone's standards.

I vote A

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24804721



Thoughts?

Some jokes just shouldn't be made.

and claiming "it's only a joke" doesn't automatically excuse the action.

EDIT: oh and the police has to investigate. especially since
Several people who saw the ad alerted police.
so it's not the police who can't take a joke, but the people who reported it in.

Either:
A) This is absolutly hilarious, or
B) This is horrible and immoral by almost anyone's standards.

I vote A

can't it be both?

over priced


*floods the market with cheaply made babies*

unskilled labour is the best way.

This is a bit of a self fulfilling prophecy.

Anyone who is stupid enough to think that putting their child on to E-bay, even as a joke, would not cause huge issues, is too dumb to be looking after a child.

Behbies: Tha Other Other White Meat.

Behbies: Tha Other Other White Meat.

OMG! RACISTS!!! :p :D

Guess that would make it an eBaby...
OK, I know it's terrible but someone had to say it

Lollercoasters.

As hilarious as it is stupid and irresponsible. :D

EDIT: oh and the police has to investigate. especially since


They likely do have discretion.

I call stupidity and ineptitude.


On behalf of the police.

over priced


*floods the market with cheaply made babies*

Good luck. The Chinese models are running everybody else out of the business.

*floods the market with cheaply made babies*
now, I am in a bit of a problem here, because I don't know your gender...
If you are female: Want to go into business together? :cool:
If you are male: You are a sick, twisted, disgusting, immoral piss-poor excuse for a person and I hope your genitalia fall off. Slimebag... :upyours:
So yeah.. take it as your gender dictates... :rolleyes:

Guess that would make it an eBaby...
OK, I know it's terrible but someone had to say it

Oh, so lame, but so funny... :p

Thoughts?

The only people who didn't behave stupidly were the pedos. They know when something is too good to be true. It wouldn't surprise me if one saw the bid and informed the police, on the basis that NOT doing that would be suspicious.

Very stupid joke by the parents. Not exactly smart work by the police either, you need more evidence than that to make "child trafficking" stick. Their first call should have been eBay, tell them to leave the offer there.

:rolleyes:

lol

While I know it can been taking in light humour and sure as hell come Tuesday night we will be cracking the jokes, but we should take a serious look at this and wonder what the parents were thinking when they did this, and it is a good thing that child services have done this, because obviously the kid wont be properly looked after. I think the parents should be severely punished or at the very least castrated so they wont be able to have kids again.

I'm not sure I agree entirely with the actions taken by the police, but it's good that they acted. Real human trafficking, despite this joke, is a horrible practice and happens quite a lot around the world, and should be stopped whenever possible.

Now admittedly, I think this was obviously a joke, but that's still beside the point, because the police couldn't afford to take the chance on something like this.

parents should be severely punished or at the very least castrated so they wont be able to have kids again.

I think that castration falls under the aegis of "severe punishment", my friend. The "very least" probably wasn't necessary; having your plumbing played with is never light. :D

I think that castration falls under the aegis of "severe punishment", my friend. The "very least" probably wasn't necessary; having your plumbing played with is never light. :D

Yeah I know but still it isnt something u should joke around on a public domain like ebay, amongst friends yes, but not in this case there is a line

I'm not sure I agree entirely with the actions taken by the police, but it's good that they acted. Real human trafficking, despite this joke, is a horrible practice and happens quite a lot around the world, and should be stopped whenever possible.

Now admittedly, I think this was obviously a joke, but that's still beside the point, because the police couldn't afford to take the chance on something like this.

The police most certainly could. The kid can't change hands without a buyer contacting the seller (can't fedex the kid). Even if the parents were joking, here was a chance to identify and further investigate someone who would seriously bid for a kid on eBay.

Probably couldn't prosecute them for it. Bidding ten euros could probably pass as "getting in on the joke." Bidding ten thousand, however ...

The only winner is eBay, whose reputation has been protected. Otherwise, dumb.

The police most certainly could. The kid can't change hands without a buyer contacting the seller (can't fedex the kid). Even if the parents were joking, here was a chance to identify and further investigate someone who would seriously bid for a kid on eBay.

Probably couldn't prosecute them for it. Bidding ten euros could probably pass as "getting in on the joke." Bidding ten thousand, however ...

The only winner is eBay, whose reputation has been protected. Otherwise, dumb.
...hmm...

I suppose you do have a point. See, this is why I don't work in law enforcement.

I guess I'd be crap at law enforcement too. The media thrashes them for any subtlety at all, that stuff is more for the spy agencies.

They likely do have discretion.

I call stupidity and ineptitude.


On behalf of the police.
they may have the discretion, but would you like to be the one to say "we thought it was a joke" if it turned out real? They have to investigate even if they also think it was 'a joke'.

The police most certainly could. The kid can't change hands without a buyer contacting the seller (can't fedex the kid). Even if the parents were joking, here was a chance to identify and further investigate someone who would seriously bid for a kid on eBay.

Probably couldn't prosecute them for it. Bidding ten euros could probably pass as "getting in on the joke." Bidding ten thousand, however ...

The only winner is eBay, whose reputation has been protected. Otherwise, dumb.

yep, too bad tho that most E-bay negotiations on delivery doesn't occur where the police can easily intercept messages. or are you suggesting that E-bay and other on line autions as well as E-mail companies turn over account information and give LE free access to customer's e-mail?

Sick or stupid, though if the economy keeps going down its current path, the baby-selling industry could be booming in another few years.