Florida woman allegedly tried to sell baby daughter for $500 outside an H&R Block, then abandoned infant

A 33-year-old Florida woman was arrested after allegedly trying to sell her baby daughter outside of an H&R Block business, according to police.

Jessica Woods, of Palatka, was arrested last week and charged with unlawfully deserting her child, trying to sell a child for money, aggravated child abuse, and three counts of child abuse without great bodily harm.

According to a press release from the Palatka Police Department, Woods was loitering around a local business with her 18-month-old daughter for a "few days" in early March.

The Daily Mail reported, "As Woods used the H&R Block restroom to change the child, the worker witnessed the mother hit her daughter with her elbow and then spank her, according to the probable cause affidavit."

Police said the baby had a bruise on her face.

The next morning, a witness claimed to have seen Woods sleeping on top of an air conditioner unit with her child nearby in a shopping cart.

The infant began to crawl toward a busy road, the police document read. An employee reportedly picked up the baby.

An employee of the business asked Woods if she needed anything. Woods allegedly asked the employee about wanting to buy her baby for $500. The employee reportedly declined the offer to purchase the infant.

Woods allegedly became "enraged" and then replied, "You can have the bast**d!"

The mother then walked away and abandoned her baby, according to the affidavit. The employee immediately brought the abandoned baby to the Palatka Police Department. The Department of Children and Families took custody of the infant. The child has since been placed in foster care.

Detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Woods. Police took Woods into custody on March 7 and transported her to the Putnam County Jail.

She is being held on a bond of $255,000.

Woods was ordered to have no contact with her daughter.

Palatka woman accused of trying to sell 18-month-old daughter for $500, police saywww.youtube.com

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