Texas woman arrested for allegedly trying to ‘purchase’ child at Walmart for $500,000 ‘because she wanted him’
A Texas woman tried to purchase a one-year-old boy for $500,000 from his mother as she queued in a Walmart self-checkout line, authorities say.
Rebecca Lanette Taylor, 49, from Crockett, allegedly told the mother who was waiting with her baby and infant son that she liked her the boy’s “blonde hair and blue eyes” and inquired how much she could buy him for.
According to a police affidavit obtained by local news site The Messenger, the mother tried to laugh the comment off, thinking Ms Taylor was joking.
Ms Taylor then told her she was prepared to pay $250,000 and had the cash in her car, and that she had been waiting to purchase a child “for a long time”.
The mother responded that “no amount of money would do”, and told her to get away from her child.
At this point a second unidentified woman appeared and began asking what the boy’s name was, according to the probable cause affidavit filed by Crocket Police Department lieutenant Ahleea Price.
Even though the mother refused to tell them, Ms Taylor and the other woman somehow learned the boy’s name and began calling out to him.
Police say she waited for the two women to leave the store, but after exiting she was accosted again while trying to reach her car.
“Once in the parking lot Taylor began screaming at (the mum), saying if she wouldn’t take $250,000 for him, then she would give her $500,000 because she wanted him and she was going to take him,” the affidavit stated.
As the mother locked herself and her children in her car, Ms Taylor stood behind a black SUV parked next to hers and repeatedly told her she she wanted to purchase the child for $500,000. Taylor eventually left in the SUV.
Lieutenant Price reviewed Walmart’s CCTV footage and found it supported the mother’s claims, and went to Ms Taylor’s home to speak to her.
According to the affidavit, Ms Taylor told the officer she “she doesn’t like thieves”.
“Then she stated I could speak with her attorney and to get off her ‘precipice.’ She slammed the door shut.”
Police obtained an arrest warrant and Ms Taylor was taken into custody on 18 January and charged with the third-degree felony of the sale or purchase of a child.
Ms Taylor was held on $50,000 bail at Houston County Jail. She was reportedly released on Thursday.
