GRANDMOTHER ARRESTED FOR ATTEMPTING TO SELL INFANT GRANDSON
(mugshot of Patty Bigbee)
A Florida woman was arrested earlier this week for trying to sell her 8-week-old grandson. Ironically, the person she was trying to sell the baby to was a biological daughter of hers whom she had given up for adoption.
Patty Bigbee, 44, was arrested in a Dayton Beach parking lot where she and her boyfriend, Lawrence Works, went to complete the transaction and turnover the infant baby boy. Works was also arrested and charged with being a principal in the illegal sale of a child.
The child's mother knew about the attempted sale, and was supposed to get part of the illegal adoption money in order to buy a car, according to investigators.
Law enforcement officials say that Bigbee recently found 27-year-old Danielle Skiver -- the daughter she gave up for adoption 26 years ago -- on Facebook in July. The two stayed in contact, and Skiver eventually shared with her biological mother that she wanted children.
It was that time, officials say, that Bigbee suggested that Skiver adopt a newborn child born to her daughter, Stephanie Bigbee Fleming. It wasn't until Skiver expressed interest in adopting the child that Bibee told her she wanted $75,000 for the baby.
Skiver then notified law enforcement about the deal her biological mother was attempting to broker and a sting operation was set up.
Working in cooperation with law enforcement, Skiver told Bigbee that she and her husband could not afford $75,000; Bigbee then suggested that Skiver take out a loan using her home as collateral. Bigbee finally agreed to sell the baby for only $30,000, noting that "times are tough."
Bigbee told Skiver that if she did not buy the baby, she would find another buyer, investigators said.
Bigbee is now in the Volusia County Branch Jail on $100,000 bail. Works is held without bail for violation of probation stemming from a charge of fleeing and attempting to elude a law enforcement officer.
(mugshot of Stephanie Bigbee Fleming)
No comments:
Post a Comment