A 21-year-old woman is in custody, charged with attempting to sell her infant on Facebook. Juniper Bryson,21, is currently detained at the Harris County Jail, where her bail has been set at $30,000.
The 21-year-old has been charged with a third-degree felony for the “sale or purchase of a child,” as indicated in documents submitted to the Harris County District Clerk’s Office and reported by the Houston Chronicle. This comes after her alleged attempt to sell her baby for $150 to an individual in Louisiana via social media.
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Bryson attracted attention on Facebook after contacting six individuals prior to giving birth. Conversations on the platform, which were cited in court documents highlighted by the Houston Chronicle, suggested that Bryson allegedly believed selling her child wasn’t illegal; she viewed her actions as a “different kind of adoption.” She also allegedly responded to Facebook users who pointed out that she was engaging in illegal activity that she didn’t see it as any different from individuals paying for a surrogate.
She allegedly said in a message over the social media platform to a woman she called Aunt Jenna: “It’s not even like that it’s just enough to move into an apartment so I can work a job…”
An email has been sent to the Harris County Sheriff’s Department requesting a statement on the matter.
According to surrogacy.com, Texas does not have laws governing commercial surrogacy, which means that surrogacy is completely legal in the state. However, Texans are prohibited from paying surrogates directly for the act of carrying a child; they can only offer compensation for the surrogate’s time and efforts during the pregnancy and delivery.
Additionally, Texas has enacted “safe haven” laws that permit parents to legally leave their newborns at hospitals, fire stations, or other designated safe locations within 60 days of birth. These safe haven laws were referenced by Justice Samuel Alito in discussions that contributed to the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
Since Texas implemented a ban on abortion after the detection of a fetal heartbeat, the state has seen a 12.9% increase in infant mortality rates.
According to the Houston Chronicle, Bryson’s actions came to the attention of law enforcement after a woman she was messaging on Facebook reported her.
In addition to facing third-degree felony charges, it has been reported that Bryson’s baby allegedly tested positive for substances that Bryson used during her pregnancy.