"Contract" drawn up

Parents wanted to sell baby – for 1000 dollars and a six-pack

The child's father, Darien Urban, was arrested, as was the mother.

(Bild: stock.adobe.com/IVAN KOKOULIN, stock.adobe.com, Krone KREATIV)

A young couple from Arkansas must stand trial for aggravated child endangerment. Darien Urban and Shalene Ehlers are accused of trying to sell their baby - for 1,000 dollars and a six-pack of beer.

According to TV station "WREG", the manager of a campground alerted the Benton County Sheriff's Department. The man reported to law enforcement that a young parent couple showed up with their two-month-old baby and left the infant with a drunk local resident named Ricky Crawford.

Baby left to drunk man
When questioned, the "heavily intoxicated" Crawford stated that he had given the parents "a few bottles of beer" so that they would leave the baby with him: "I looked after the baby's welfare." 

Shalene Ehlers stated "that she already had three dogs and that it wouldn't work with the baby".

(Bild: Benton County Sheriffs Dept .)

"Purchase agreement" drawn up
The next morning, the parents returned and offered the child for sale to a second resident of the campsite, Cody Martin. He agreed and even drew up a sales contract. According to the police, it read: "We, Darien Urban and Shalene Ehlers, transfer the rights to our little boys to Cody Nathaniel Martin for 1000 dollars." 

"Transaction" recorded on video camera
The following was added: "After this letter is signed, the transaction cannot be canceled. We never want to be contacted again." Martin recorded the "negotiation" with the video camera and stated that he had asked the mother why she no longer wanted her child: "She said that she already had three dogs and that it wouldn't work with the baby."

Darien Urban's malnourished son was taken to hospital completely filthy and with blisters and swelling.

(Bild: Benton County Sheriffs Dept .)

Baby was immediately taken to hospital
According to the police report, the baby was in such a poor physical condition that he was immediately taken to hospital by ambulance: "The infant was malnourished, had feces all over his body and a severe rash with blisters and swelling on his bottom and back."

Facing twelve years in prison
Urban (21) and Ehlers (20) were arrested. While the child's father has been released on bail of 50,000 dollars pending trial, the mother remains in custody in Benton County Jail. She is unable to post her bail of 30,000 dollars. The raven parents face a maximum sentence of up to twelve years in prison if convicted. The baby was placed in the custody of the Arkansas Department of Children and Youth Services.