Father ‘sells 11-month-old baby behind mother’s back to pay his gambling money’
- The baby was sold for the equivalent of just £730
- The father said he sold the child to relieve debt
- But he immediately put the money into online gambling sites
A man has been arrested in Indonesia after allegedly selling his 11-month-old baby on Facebook behind his wife’s back to fund his online gambling addiction.
The father, identified only as 36-year-old RA, was paid just 15 million Indonesian rupiah, the equivalent of around £730, which he then deposited into his online gambling accounts.
RA was caught after his wife, the child’s biological mother, returned to their home in Tangerang, West Jakarta, and could not find her baby.
Tangerang City Police Chief Zain Dwi Nugroho told local media: “They urged RA to reveal the whereabouts of their child until he finally confessed to selling the newborn.
“She then took him to report the incident to the Tangerang police.”
After being questioned by detectives, RA admitted that he had sold his baby to reduce his debts.
The father, identified only as 36-year-old RA, was paid just 15 million Indonesian rupiah, the equivalent of around £730, for his baby (File image)
But once he got the money, he said he impulsively used the money online.
The buyers, identified only as HK and MO, were also arrested for suspected involvement in a human trafficking network – a crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a fine of 600 million rupiah (£29,300) in Indonesia.
HK and MO are under investigation for suspected involvement in a larger human trafficking network, although no details are available at this time.
Indonesia’s Child Protection Commission condemned the shocking incident.
Its head, Ai Maryati, told local media: “That is worrying [RA] uses his financial situation to engage in activities that are being eradicated by the state and by selling children he also violates basic human rights.”
It comes just weeks after police uncovered a baby trafficking ring in Depok, a city south of Jakarta, where they arrested eight people involved in the online trafficking of children.
Arya Perdan, the city’s top cop, said the children were advertised on Facebook and sold for prices ranging from 10 million to 15 million Indonesian rupiah (£490 to £740).
The children were then taken to Bali, where they were resold for a whopping 45 million rupiah (£2,195).
Nearly 60% of all human trafficking victims worldwide come from the Asia-Pacific region, with South and Southeast Asia considered key hubs for supplying victims.
