AUTHORITIES in southern Germany have taken custody of a seven-month-old boy after his parents posted an ad on eBay offering to sell him for just one euro (79p).
Regional police spokesman Peter Hieber said that the baby was placed in the care of youth services in the Allgäu region of south-western Bavaria near the Austrian border.
Hieber said the mother told police the internet advert was simply a joke.
The eBay advert said: "I am offering here my almost-new baby for sale. The baby has recently become much too loud for me. The baby is male and can be placed either in a blanket or in a pushchair."
Alexander Witt, the German spokesman for eBay, said: "We stopped the auction and closed the seller's membership."
Authorities have begun an investigation into possible child-trafficking against the parents. No offers were made for the child during the two hours and 30 minutes the advert was posted. The internet auction site has deleted the posting.
The child's mother, who has been identified only as Tanja, 23, was quoted in the Bild newspaper saying: "It was only a joke. I just wanted to see if someone would make an offer. My husband and my brothers thought it would be funny.
"I would never give my Merlin away. On the contrary, if a buyer had made an offer I would have taken the advert down.
"They've taken my son to hospital. He will be under observation there and I've got to take psychiatric tests next week."
The mother had a track record as a reputable eBay seller having sold 174 items and had received positive feedback from buyers.
EBay rules include a ban on selling human beings or body parts. The only exemption from the body parts rule is for items containing lockets of human hair.
Other banned items include firearms, alcohol, and lock-picking devices.
The full article contains 326 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
