Man Arrested for Trying to Buy a Baby Girl in Louisiana

NEW ORLEANS, La. (KMDL-FM) - 73-year-old Howell Gene Penton of Picayune, Mississippi has been arrested booked with Sale of Minor Children after he allegedly attempted to buy a 10-month-old baby girl from an Angie, Louisiana woman.

Scott Rodgerson, Unsplash

KSLA.com reports the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office has announced the arrest of Howell Gene Penton of the village of Angie, Louisiana after he allegedly attempted to buy a 10-month-old baby girl from her mother.

Howell reportedly approached the child's mother at the Angie Auction House and attempted to buy a woman's infant.

The Angie Auction House is an auction house/flea-market-auction hybrid, where items go under the hammer for interested bidders to purchase.

Washington Parish Sheriff's Department

What Is The Charge Of Sale Of Minor Children?

Under Louisiana Revised Statutes § 14:286, law.justia.com explains it is against the law for anyone to “sell or surrender a minor child to another person for money or anything of value,” or to receive a child under such circumstances.

From KSLA.com -

"Investigators conducted an undercover operation on Nov. 29, which led to an arrest warrant for Penton. He was taken into custody the same day without incident."

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Howell is being held on a $200,000 bond.

The investigation is ongoing and more information will be released as to the evidence authorities uncovered that lead to Howell's arrest or what his intentions were for wanting to purchase the infant.

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