A couple accused of trying to sell their two-year-old daughter have been arrested in Murcia.
The mother, 26, and father, 41, allegedly offered the youngster to another couple, who had already paid them €20,000.
The would-be ‘adoptive’ parents, a man aged 42 and a 51-year-old woman, have also been arrested.
The Policia Nacional intervened and managed to block the ‘sale’ following an investigation in Totana.
All four suspects have been released pending further proceedings after appearing before police and the duty court.
They are being investigated for alleged offences including illegal adoption, fraud and identity theft.
Social workers raised the alarm
The investigation began after Murcia’s regional Family Ministry alerted the Policia Nacional’s minors unit.
Social workers at Totana council had identified what they believed could be an illegal adoption arrangement between two families.
Authorities had already been monitoring the child’s welfare.
According to police, Murcia’s Directorate General for Families, Children and Conciliation had been continuously monitoring and assessing her family circumstances since she was born in 2024.
A series of interventions had been put in place to protect her welfare.
It was during this process that suspicions surrounding the alleged arrangement emerged.
Couple allegedly made regular payments
Police discovered that the couple who wanted to take custody of the child had allegedly been making payments to her biological parents.
These were initially monthly and later became weekly, according to police.
The prospective parents were allegedly paying to be able to see the girl, as well as covering expenses associated with her food, care and upbringing.
They were also paying towards what they believed were administrative procedures necessary to complete the process.
But investigators allege that the biological parents convinced the couple that the arrangements were being handled by a specialist lawyer and were legitimate.
Police said the couple were even allegedly subjected to fake telephone calls designed to give the process an appearance of legality.
One caller purported to be the director of the nursery attended by the child and allegedly reassured them that everything was legal.
Girl removed and placed with foster family
Given what police described as the serious potential risk to the child, officers coordinated with Murcia’s child protection services before arresting all four adults.
The little girl has now been placed under the protection of the regional government.
She is living with an emergency foster family rather than being placed in a children’s residential centre.
The investigation continues.
