Baby put up for sale on Craigslist: Canada police

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A woman who saw the offer on the popular website alerted police who tracked down the 23-year-old mother and 26-year-old father using a cell phone number that was listed in the advertisement.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Reuters) - A couple has been arrested in what Canadian police said on Tuesday was an apparent offer to sell a seven-day-old baby girl on Craigslist for C$10,000 ($10,100).

A woman who saw the offer on the popular website alerted police who tracked down the 23-year-old mother and 26-year-old father using a cell phone number that was listed in the advertisement.

Vancouver police said the couple told investigators the offer was a hoax, but were arrested for public mischief with other criminal charges possible as the investigation continues.

"There are so many questions here," Constable Tim Fanning told reporters.

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Police said the advertisement described the baby as "very cute" and "unexpected" and that its parents, who could not afford to care for it, wanted to give it a good home.

The child was put in the care of social workers.

($1=$0.99 Canadian)

(Reporting by Allan Dowd, Editing by Peter Galloway)