A Florida woman is in custody after attempting to sell her daughter for $500 in an a Putnam County parking lot.
Jessica Woods, 33, had reportedly loitered near an H&R Block in Palatka for several days with her 18-month-old daughter in tow when an anonymous employee asked if she required assistance, according to police.
“Woods told the citizen she did not need anything but, offered to sell the child to the citizen for $500,” the Palatka Police Department wrote in a Facebook post on Wednesday. “When the citizen refused to purchase the child, Woods walked away, leaving her daughter behind.”
The H&R Block employee saw Woods spank and hit the child after using the business’s restroom. The employee said she would buy items for Woods but refused to give money directly to her.
After the employee declined to purchase Woods’ child, Woods said, “You can have the bastard,” then left without her daughter, according to the police affidavit.
The anonymous employee brought the little girl to the police department, leading to Woods’ arrest two days later.
Woods has been charged with child abuse, child neglect and child abandonment, according to court documents.