Last week, police say, a female Texas resident attempted to purchase the child of another woman from a Walmart store.
A third-degree felony charge was filed Wednesday against Rebecca Lanette Taylor, 49, for sale or purchase of a child.
According to the criminal complaint, Taylor made contact with a woman whose baby was in a car seat and a one-year-old boy was in a shopping cart at a Walmart in Crockett, about 120 miles north of Houston, on Jan. 13.
Upon receiving a phone call from the mother, Lt. Ahleea Price filed an affidavit of probable cause describing how a white woman with blonde hair approached her in the Crockett Walmart asking to purchase her son.
In response to Taylor's comment, the mom tried to laugh it off, thinking Taylor was joking. Taylor said she had $250,000 in the car and that she would buy him for that amount of money. The mom responded that no amount of money would suffice.
Taylor was told by the mother not to approach her son.
Taylor stated that she wanted a baby for a long time now and he was the perfect fit for her, according to the affidavit.
When police went to the mother's house, they found Taylor with another woman who asked what the child's name was, however, the mother declined to say.
Taylor and the other woman somehow knew the child's name and referred to him by name, according to the affidavit.
Before heading to her car, the mother waited for the two women to leave the store.
According to the affidavit, Taylor allegedly began screaming at the mother and said she would give her $500,000 if she did not accept $250,000 for him.
Taylor sat next to the mother's SUV in a black SUV once in the car. The affidavit stated that Taylor repeatedly offered to pay $500,000 in cash for the child. Taylor finally hopped into a black SUV and drove away.
The mom's accounts matched surveillance footage from the store, police said.
Taylor was questioned about the incident by the officer who wrote the affidavit at her residence.
The affidavit states that she slammed the door shut and then said she could speak with her attorney and to step back from her "precipice."
Taylor's arrest warrant was also signed by Houston County District Attorney Donna Kaspar after Price shared details about the incident with her.
Her bond was released Thursday from Houston County Jail, according to jail records.
According to Texas Penal Code, she could face a minimum of two years in prison and a maximum of 10 years, and a fine of up to $10,000.
Comments / 4