Texas mom accused of trying to sell her newborn baby on Facebook

A Texas mom was arrested after police say she tried to sell her baby on Facebook.

Juniper Bryson, 21, is being held in the Harris County Jail on charges of attempting to sell a child.

On Sept. 22, she posted in a Facebook group called “Birth Mothers Seeking Adoptive Parents” looking for someone who would be willing to adopt her unborn boy, court records say.

She had previously reached out to a relative in another state to see if they knew anyone willing to adopt a child. In the conversation, she noted that the child would test positive for drugs, ABC 13 reported.

A family member then posted in the group that Bryson was looking for potential adoptive parents. Bryson later told a relative she was demanding payment for the child, the newspaper reported.

“Just enough to move into an apartment so I can work and get (my daughter) back, or a cheap down payment, or any car to get to different places before DoorDash. Nothing crazy,” Bryson wrote.

Police said Bryson talked to seven different people about adopting her child, including one woman who was with her at the hospital.

A couple from Louisiana came to stay with Bryson and the baby in Houston for the night. Three hours into the couple’s trip, Bryson asked them to send her $150, writing, “If the baby isn’t worth $200 to them, then screw it.” The couple then returned to Louisiana.

Wendy Williams was at the hospital with Bryson when she went into labor in Houston and was there when the boy was born on Sept. 24.

Williams told ABC: “I felt a connection as if he was biologically mine.” She said she watched Bryson suffer from withdrawal symptoms while in the hospital.

“I just thought this was somebody who was in a really bad situation,” Williams said. “The drugs took over and she just wanted to get better.”

Bryson reportedly allowed Williams and her husband to name the baby and signed the right to make legal decisions for the child. The documents were also notarized. While still in the hospital, Bryson posted on Facebook that she had found parents for the baby and tagged Williams.

People then began sending Williams screenshots of messages claiming Bryson was trying to sell the baby, ABC reported. Williams said Bryson never tried to discuss payment with her, the outlet added. When Williams confronted her, Bryson told the nurse to take Williams out of the room. She left with gifts brought by her family members.

Byson lost custody of the child, Williams said, adding that she later notified Child Protective Services about what happened. A few days later, Bryson was arrested on an open warrant.