A German couple put their baby up for sale on eBay - and not one of those scary Reborn babies you usually see on the auction site, but a real seven-month-old boy. The starting price: one Euro (less than $2). The ad read: "Offering my nearly new baby for sale, as it has gotten too loud. It is a male baby, nearly 28 inches (70 cm) long and can be used either in a baby carrier or a stroller."
According to the Telegraph, the baby's name is Merlin and the item listing was titled: "Baby - Pick-up in Person Only." That article also quotes the mother as saying, "I would never give up my beloved Merlin. On the contrary. I just did it for a bit of fun, and simply wanted to see whether someone would actually reply to the offer."
Clearly, it was a joke. The wording ("can be used in either a baby carrier or a stroller") is pure satire. But it's a terrible joke, way beyond the pale. Joking about handing your baby over to a stranger is about as acceptable as joking about being a terrorist or about there being a fire in a crowded movie theater.
And the consequences for the family are dire: Merlin has been removed from his parents and his mother is being sent for psychiatric testing.
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 2)
1. This is such an over-reaction by the German police and their version of Child Protective Services. The eBay ad was clearly a joke. To have your baby taken away from you for a mere joke (even if it was a joke in poor taste) is heartless.
VS at 4:38PM on May 27th 2008
2. Who hasn't made a joke that they regretted soon after? I thought the joke was cute and kitschy and provocative in a what-kind-of-person-could-do-this sort of way. The punishment is too much. Then again, who ever accused the German government of being too lenient? Maybe native Germans, I wouldn't really know.
Mokele Mbembe at 5:28PM on May 27th 2008
3.
My father used to joke like that with me....used to.
He told me once: " Never have children, they'll destroy your life!"
mac at 5:42PM on May 27th 2008
4. Sad That a Person Who Would JOKE about the safety of a child is defended by those with similar limited intelligence, who think this was funny. Ebay is a genuine site to buy things that others either do not want, do not need, or want to sell to make a profit. It is not a site for shallow minded individuals to go and put "joke" ads on. Who knows what kind of sicko's this woman has subjected herself, and her child to. I hope she has learned that even a careless moment can change your life. I will pray they bring the baby home to his somewhat smarter mother soon. May God Look over them both, and keep them safe.
Fran at 5:59PM on May 27th 2008
5.
geez, Fran.
Lighten-up honey. e-bay is a commercial web site where people buy and sell stuff...it's also a site where many people scam others out of their money. I've even heard some folks sell Dolls exclusively there - go figure. I would never tru to sell a doll, not even as a joke. Why would disparage someone else for making a poor joke at e-bay's expense?... Some poor bastard even sold his soul there, wanna buy it?
mac at 6:40PM on May 27th 2008
6. Didn't we just have something like this in Austria where the parents said it was a joke, and it actually was from the condition of the baby when they took it away from said parents?
I swear, the world is totally overreacting to things that should be OBVIOUS as jokes.... someone needs to tell Social Services in a lot of countries that they are making themselves out to be a JOKE by taking things like this seriously.
Christopher at 7:58PM on May 27th 2008
7. Joke, satire...maybe, maybe not.
In the times of the Roman Empire and even the Greek Empire it was quite common for parents who didn't want their baby to "expose them". Exposure was quite legal. The infant was wrapped in cloth, taken to a section of town and laid on the ground with other infants being "exposed".
Exposed infants belonged to any person that picked them up and took them home. Exposure, in this case, doesn't mean exposure to the elements. It means available to be looked at and taken.
And, as history tells it, 90 percent or so of exposed infants were due to prostitution, the rest from married couples.
Life expectancy of an exposed infant.....3 days.
Willet at 8:48PM on May 27th 2008
8. Why would anyone be so stupid as to risk the possibility of losing thier child?They must have realized that someone would turn that in for being an idiot and posting something so ridiculous.
Sue at 11:22PM on May 27th 2008
9. The only reason this should have been persued is if the police set up a "sting" and the parents indicated that they were actually going to hand over their child.
My husband and I used to joke about doing that with our son when we were stressed out and tired (he nursed for hours at a time it seemed)- we said we would use ubid.com because everything on that site is direct from the manufacturer. I guess someone should come take him from us for that- he is 7 now and still wears us out but we haven't sold him yet!
Heather at 8:06AM on May 28th 2008
10. "Offering my nearly new baby for sale, as it has gotten too loud. It is a male baby, nearly 28 inches (70 cm) long" Even giving the baby's real name 'Merlin' sounds to me like the ad offered too many details to be considered a 'joke'. Haven't you heard? 'The greatest truths are said in jest!'
If a man approaches an undercover cop posing as a prostitute, and offers her $1.00 for a sexual favor, he gets busted for soliciting a prostitute. As it should be!
Keith J. Mohrhoff at 8:39AM on May 28th 2008
11. It might have been a joke if she really didn't have a baby, and just made things up, but she described him and gave his name. She needs help. Joking about selling your kids, and actually posting the sale are two different things! She needs help!
Viki at 10:54AM on May 28th 2008
12. I joke all the time about selling my kids off, but I have never actually gone through with it. It is just an inside joke with my sister and I. Our kids know that we would never sell them off. Heck, I have even joked with my husband about selling my mother on e-bay, but you don't see me actually putting a posting out for her. Jokes like that are meant to be private with those who are close to you and know that you would never do that. They are not meant to be posted publically, and with such great details. I do believe that the punishment for this woman was fair and in all honesty, I think they should take a long, hard look at giving the child back to her. I would hate for her to become like a couple of the mother's who have made the news because they drowned their children because they were too stressed out.
Stephanie at 12:28PM on May 28th 2008
13. Ditto to Fran's comment.
Chris at 2:40PM on May 28th 2008
14. What?! That kid is lucky to have such funny parents! I hope the child is placed back in the care of this humorous couple as soon as possible. What a ridiculous overreaction, such a waste of energy that could be put to tracking down those who would willingly harm children.
sarah at 3:06PM on May 28th 2008
15. Oh, come on, who hasn't at one point or another wanted to give their crying, pooping, screaming, puking BABY away. Especially when they act out in a public place like the grocery?
You can't beat your kids anymore, so what is a mum to do?
But I must admit, at 7 months old, this baby is way to fresh and new to get sold on Ebay.
Now, on the other hand, I've got a wonderfully seasoned 16 year old boy that would go great slacking in your basement den, as long as you've got a pool table a big screen and an x-box...
TJ at 3:34PM on May 28th 2008