Texas woman charged for trying to sell newborn on Facebook

Juniper Bryson, 21, from Texas, United States, was detained and placed in custody last week after allegedly attempting to sell her newborn baby on Facebook. She sought at least $150 from potential adoptive parents before she even began giving birth.

On September 23, 2024, the Houston Police Department was notified that Juniper Bryson was attempting to sell her unborn child through a social media platform. A day earlier, she had posted in a group titled "Birth Mothers Looking for Adoptive Parent[s]," indicating that she was based in Houston, Texas, but open to relocating if arrangements could be made. She mentioned experiencing significant pain and contractions, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.

According to an anonymous relative, on September 24, Bryson was in the hospital "waiting for the highest bid." This person reportedly explained to her that demanding money from people wishing to adopt her child constitutes human trafficking, which is explicitly a crime. Bryson allegedly insisted that she would be "a surrogate this way." She needed money to rent an apartment and find a job.

A police search of Bryson's phone uncovered direct messages she had exchanged with multiple people who had responded to her post. In one interaction, she allegedly informed a couple travelling from Louisiana to meet her at the hospital that she would not wait until after the birth to receive payment. She requested at least $150 in advance.

This condition was set after the couple had already sent her money for a meal. When the potential parents mentioned arranging the adoption process through a lawyer, Bryson allegedly blocked them on Facebook, even though they were already on their way to Houston. Bryson mentioned expecting "compensation" for the child in conversations with at least seven people. Her first court hearing is scheduled for November 7.