A woman who tried to sell her daughters for $2,000 will stand trial in Zaporizhzhia
In Zaporizhzhia, a 22-year-old woman suspected of attempting to sell her two young daughters—a newborn girl and her two-year-old sister—will stand trial. According to the investigation, the woman was to be paid $2,000 for the children.
Along with the mother, the co-founder of a nonprofit organization will also stand trial; according to investigators, she helped arrange the transfer of the children.
According to the case file, at the time the agreement was made between the women, the newborn girl was in the hospital, where her mother had left her.
The older daughter, born in 2023, was being raised by a foster family at the time. However, the mother had not been deprived of her parental rights.
The co-founder of a non-governmental organization in Zakarpattia, which provides support to children deprived of parental care, reportedly learned about the situation in the family.
According to the investigation, the woman reached an agreement with the mother to take both girls, after which she planned to take them out of Ukraine.
To bring the older child back from the foster family, the accomplice, according to investigators, hired lawyers to challenge the decisions of the child welfare authorities and local government.
Law enforcement officials determined that the mother had granted the co-founder of the nonprofit organization power of attorney to represent the interests of her newborn daughter.
In addition, according to the investigation, she signed consent forms for the adoption of both children.
Investigators claim that the woman received part of the agreed-upon sum, and that her apartment rent and notary fees were also paid for her.
According to the case file, the newborn girl was then transported to Uzhhorod, where a woman lived who had made arrangements with the mother to take custody of the children.
“After that, the newborn girl was transported to Uzhhorod, where a woman lived who had agreed with the mother to take the children. The transfer of the two children was not completed. Currently, both girls are safe in foster families,” the Office of the Prosecutor General reported.
The children’s mother and a co-founder of a nonprofit organization are charged with an attempted human trafficking offense involving two minors, committed by a group of individuals acting in concert.
This falls under Part 2 of Article 15 and Part 3 of Article 149 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
Under these provisions, the women could face 5 to 10 years in prison.
In addition, the children’s mothers have been charged under Part 1 of Article 309 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine—the illegal acquisition and possession of psychotropic substances without the intent to sell.
The penalty under this provision includes, among other things, a fine or community service.
Currently, both girls are safe, and the court will make the final legal determination regarding the suspects’ guilt.
This was reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General.
In Ukraine, 14,333 children are registered for adoption. Of these, 94% are older than 6 years, nearly 70% have siblings who must not be separated, and 11% are children with disabilities.
As a reminder, on International Family Day, May 15, Ukraine launched a unified national online platform for adoption and alternative family care. This is the first step toward digitizing the system of child care and support.
