A Ukrainian woman and her partner were taken into custody on suspicion of attempting to sell their newborn baby.
According to officials, the duo was apprehended in Mykolaiv, in the country’s south, just moments after allegedly delivering the infant and collecting $10,000 USD. According to the Ukraine National Police, the suspects—a 21-year-old mother and her 38-year-old partner, identified as the child’s father—intended to spend the proceeds “on their own personal needs.”
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Investigators suspect the man and woman began hunting for buyers while the mother was still heavily pregnant and had an arrangement to hand over the baby girl once she was delivered. Under supervision, authorities allowed the defendants to meet with a potential purchaser who made a preliminary payment.
Police were aware of the suspected conspiracy early on and put the matter under surveillance, opening a trafficking investigation. The Prosecutor General’s Office acknowledged that the final exchange took place on January 2, 2026, just one day after the infant’s birth.
After the infant was transferred and the remaining funds were collected, officers interfered and apprehended the pair near the maternity hospital, officials confirmed. The National Police distributed footage showing law officials detaining the suspects and placing the baby in protective custody.
Both suspects have been officially charged under Article 149, Part 3 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code, which deals with human trafficking violations. A court has ordered them to pretrial imprisonment, with the possibility of bail.
Officials said that the operation involved migration police, criminal investigators, analysts, and a special-purpose squad in the Mykolaiv region.
Authorities have not revealed any specifics regarding the baby’s condition, but it has been confirmed that the infant is currently under state protection.
Under Ukrainian law, suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court.
