Mum who sold 8-month-old baby on Facebook Marketplace wanted it back a week later

The mum is alleged to have met up with a woman after striking up a conversation on Facebook Marketplace and ended up handing over her son to her - one week later she regretted her decision

A mum has been left in a flood of tears after she claimed to live with regret after allegedly selling her eight-month-old baby on Facebook Marketplace.

The mum, 23, is accused of child trafficking after she allegedly sold the baby on Facebook Marketplace in October. The mum, who was not named, is alleged to have exchanged contact details with a woman on social media and struck up a conversation.

She then met the woman at Soshanguve Plaza, just north of Pretoria, South Africa, and handed the baby boy over to the woman who then left in a taxi. The mum, from nearby Mabopane, reportedly regretted the decision and one week later wanted him back.

But the woman allegedly did not want to give the baby back. The mum later reportedly said she only gave the baby away due to facing financial hardship.

"I regret everything I did," the mum said, according to South African outlet SNL24. "I did that out of desperation. I was struggling financially to raise my baby. I'm not OK. I want my baby. I love my baby.

"The woman lives near Orange Farm in Joburg (Johannesburg). The last time I spoke to her, I told her I was afraid of being arrested. I want to tell that woman that what I did was wrong. I shouldn't have taken that route.

"I should have taken my baby to social workers. I spent almost two weeks in prison and it's not a good place to be. There's no freedom in prison. I was eating two times a day."

The woman's 25-year-old boyfriend, from Soshanguve, claimed the baby was his but that he did not believe she sold him. "She didn't have money to take care of the baby. I wasn't living with her when this happened. I thought she had sent the baby to her family."

Guateng police spokesperson Captain Tintswalo said: "A case of child trafficking was opened on 19 October. The suspect, the mother of the child, was arrested the same day and she appeared in the Ga-Rankuwa Magistrates Court on 21 October."

North West National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesman Sivenathi Gunya said: "It's alleged that she advertised her child for sale on Facebook Marketplace and some woman showed interest, took the child and promised to give the mother R1 000 monthly until she is back on her feet again. But she hasn't paid the money and can't be traced."

The mother was granted bail. Her case has been postponed until February 6 next year.