“We are trying to ascertain where this baby comes from and what exactly were this woman’s intentions”, Hawks’ spokesman Hangwani Mulaudzi told newsmen. “We arrested her as soon as we met with her”, he said.
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The suspect will be charged with human trafficking, and because the police are still investigating the case, more charges could be added to the charge sheet.
Gumtree have since released a statement on the situation and the steps that the local listings site took once the advert was discovered.
She told undercover police officers that looking after her child, who is 19-months-old, had become impossible as his father refused to support her financially.
“Gumtree South Africa’s customer service team was alerted that a young woman had placed an ad on the site advertising a child for sale”, Gumtree spokeswoman Claire Cobbledick said.
The 19-month-old boy has been handed over to social workers.
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Gumtree has been co-operating with investigators, the police said.
