John Jefferson
From left to right: Juniper Bryson (Harris County Jail) and the newborn Bryson is accused of trying to sell (KTRK).
A 21-year-old woman in Texas has been arrested after she allegedly tried to sell her newborn baby boy to the “highest bidder” on Facebook, seeking a minimum of $150 up front before she even went into labor.
Juniper Bryson was taken into custody last week and charged with one count of felony sale or purchase of a child, records reviewed by Law&Crime state.
According to a probable cause affidavit, the Houston Police Department on Sept. 23, 2024, received a report alleging that Bryson was attempting to sell her unborn child on the social media platform. The previous day, she had posted in a group called “Birthing mothers looking for adoptive parent(s),” writing, “I am in Houston, Tx but willing to travel if we can arrange that. I do have a lot of pain and am contracting so it needs to be soon.”
Bryson also reached out to a family member, asking if she knew anyone who was trying to adopt a child. She also revealed to the family member that the baby would test positive for drugs. The family member posted to Facebook that a relative was seeking adoptive parents because she didn’t want the child going into the foster system. Several people allegedly responded to the post.
Bryson’s relative told police that after she posted to Facebook, Bryson repeatedly mentioned that whomever wanted to adopt the child “was gonna have to compensate” her.
“What do you mean compensate? Like pay you $ for the baby? You want $$ for your baby?!” the relative allegedly told Bryson. “That’s illegal, that’s human trafficking.”
“No it’s not, it’s surrogacy,” Bryson allegedly responded. “Just enough to move into an apartment so I can work a job and get [my daughter] back, or a cheap down payment, or any car to get to different places to DoorDash. Nothing crazy at all.”
The relative told police that she immediately added another post to Facebook about Bryson wanting payment and stopped trying to help her. According to the relative, on Sept. 24, Bryson was at the hospital with the baby “while she waits for the highest bidder.”
A search of Bryson’s phone revealed that she direct messaged several people who responded to her relative’s post.
In one conversation, Bryson allegedly told a same-sex couple who was traveling from Louisiana to be with her at the hospital, “I’m not waiting to get paid until after [giving birth],” saying she would “ask for a minimum of 150 bucks up front.” The request came after the couple had already sent her money for a meal.
“Juniper [Bryson] sent him a picture of the food she was trying to order, and he sent her money, a total of $25 via Apple Pay to complete the food delivery,” the affidavit states. “[The prospective parent] stated that 3.5 hours into their trip to Houston, she asked them to send her $150.”
When the prospective parent mentioned running the adoption through an attorney, Bryson refused, asked for $150, and eventually blocked him, saying “if her baby wasn’t worth $200 to them, then screw ya’ll.”
Per the affidavit, Bryson mentions her need to be compensated for her child in conversations with at least seven people.
Bryson is currently being held in the Harris County Jail on $30,000 bond. She is scheduled to appear in court again on Nov. 7.
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