Jessica Woods, 33, was arrested and booked into jail on charges of child neglect, abandonment, selling or surrendering a minor for property or money and child abuse. (Putnam County Jail)
Palatka, Fla.
A woman in Florida is facing several charges after reportedly trying to sell her baby.
According to the Palatka Police Department, Jessica Woods, 33, was arrested last week after a worker at an area business said Woods left her daughter with them after attempting to sell the child.
Police said the worker notified them about the incident on March 5.
According to authorities, Woods was loitering around the worker’s place of employment before the unidentified worker asked the mother if she or her child needed any help.
Woods reportedly told the worker that she didn’t need anything but offered to sell her daughter for $500. When they refused to purchase the toddler, Woods allegedly walked away and left her daughter behind.
The worker then brought the child to the Palatka Police Department and told them what happened.
Police and the department’s victim advocate program took care of the child until the Department of Children and Families took custody.
Officers said they located Woods on March 7 and took her into custody. She was booked into the Putnam County Jail on charges that included child neglect and abandonment and three counts of child abuse.
Woods’ 18-month-old has since been placed in foster care.