A Brazilian couple was arrested in Foz do Iguaçu, in western Paraná, on suspicion of selling their own five-month-old baby for R$15,000 in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay. The investigation is being conducted by the Center for the Protection of Children and Adolescents (Nucria), a unit of Brazil’s Civil Police.
The case came under investigation after police received information about a possible sale of the child. During the initial inquiries, officers located the mother and found approximately R$11,000 in cash in her possession. The amount is being treated as part of the payment.
In her statement, the woman reportedly said that she took the baby with her partner to Ciudad del Este and reportedly sold the child to an unidentified person for R$15,000. The investigation also indicates that a female relative may have brokered contact between the parents and the people who allegedly received the child.
After locating the mother, investigators went to the Urban Transport Terminal in downtown Foz do Iguaçu, where she planned to meet her partner. The man was arrested there.
Later, the Civil Police received information that the baby had returned to Brazil and was in the care of a couple. The child was found at a residence and referred to the Conselho Tutelar, Brazil’s child-protection council. According to the Civil Police, there were no visible injuries.
The investigation must still identify who received the baby in Paraguay and clarify each person’s involvement. Because the case crosses the border, Brazilian authorities are considering contacting Paraguay’s National Police through the Tripartite Command, a police-cooperation mechanism involving Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina in the Triple Border region.