In Málaga, officers of the national police working under the autonomous government of Andalusia have thwarted an attempt to sell a newborn girl for monetary gain. According to the investigation, the baby’s mother and a couple unable to have children made a secret agreement: for 3,000 euros, the woman agreed to hand over her child, while the prospective ‘parents’ tried to register the girl as their own by forging official documents.
After irregularities were found in the child’s birth documents, the girl was removed from the family and placed under the care of regional authorities. She is now with a foster family, while her future will be decided by the Andalusian social services.
Investigation Uncovers Irregularities
It all started with a temporary decision by the Malaga territorial social inclusion service to declare the child at risk. The review was triggered by the baby’s hospitalization, after which specialists noticed discrepancies in the parental information.
During questioning, the biological mother revealed that the man listed as the father on the documents was in fact unrelated to the child. He had been recorded on the birth certificate solely to facilitate the transfer of the girl to a new family.
How the Child Transfer Scheme Worked and the Police’s Role
The investigation revealed that the couple, unable to have children of their own, was undergoing fertility treatment. At some point, they made contact with a pregnant woman and accepted her offer: after she was discharged from the hospital, they would register the baby girl as their own and give her money in return.
To legalize the arrangement, the mother and the man went together to the civil registry, where they signed documents listing both as the newborn’s parents. However, police officers, noticing suspicious details, intervened before the child could be handed over to her new “parents.”
Legal consequences and next steps
All participants in the scheme now face charges related to crimes against family relations, as well as forging official documents. Investigators believe they intentionally altered the birth record to hide the child’s true origin and to facilitate her transfer.
Police have already charged both the biological mother and the couple who sought to obtain the child. Soon, they will have to provide statements regarding attempted illegal adoption and document falsification.
Context: similar cases and public response
This incident is not the first case in Spain involving attempts to transfer children for money or through fake documents. Recently, law enforcement has encountered such schemes more frequently, raising concerns among child protection experts.
The public is calling for stricter controls on the registration of newborns and stronger measures to prevent illegal adoptions. Authorities in Andalusia assure that the child is safe and that the investigation is ongoing.
