This is so sick

@laglen (19759)
United States
March 18, 2010 6:16pm CST
MARCH 18--Though it reads like a hoax, Washington cops are investigating a Craigslist ad that recently offered a four-year-old boy for sale, according to court documents filed this week. The Spokane County Sheriff's Office learned of the online classified after it was spotted late last month by witness Amy Rice, who told a detective that the ad was headlined, "4 Year old boy - $5000 (Spokane)," according to the below March 15 search warrant affidavit. In response to the warrant, Craigslist has provided investigators with information about the posting of the ad, which offered the sale of a child named "Gavin," who is described as "a great kid" who "always has a smile on his face." The ad, which included a photo of a young boy, was purportedly placed by the child's father, "Rick Obelophy." Using investigative databases, a sheriff's deputy could "not locate any information pertaining to the name 'Rick Obelophy,'" or the surname "Obelophy." While investigators reportedly believe that the ad is not a hoax, the Craigslist posting noted that the boy "doesn't fuss very much but when he does he just screams for hours. I usually just put him in the closet until he stops and that usually works." The boy was being offered for sale, his father claimed, because "I can no longer afford to take care of him." The sheriff's office is probing the ad as a possible violation of "Child Selling--Child Buying" laws. (3 pages) http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2010/0318101craigslist1.html I know it is hard to tell with out more info, but do you think this is a hoax? I hope the guy is caught before anymore harm comes to that boy!
2 people like this
4 responses
• United States
19 Mar 10
I honestly feel Craigslist should be illegal. I know it would never be because of free speech, and whatever crazy internet laws there are, or are not, but that site has some dangerous people on it.
@laglen (19759)
• United States
19 Mar 10
So get the crazies off! I find craigslist very useful. But I wonder, what about it should be illegal?
1 person likes this
• United States
21 Mar 10
I think it should be illegal for certain things. But Craigslist has a policy where the users basically police the website. So until enough find certain services offensive, or dangerous it won't happen. There supposedly can't be real strict internet laws because of free speech.
1 person likes this
@laglen (19759)
• United States
21 Mar 10
I think as with anything, people should be careful. The internet, no matter what site can be dangerous!
@rsa101 (37952)
• Philippines
19 Mar 10
Well I guess he should try going to an orphanage instead of selling his kid out. I think this guy is one crazy guy or is just trying to attract attention to many. I just hope that authorities would try to track this guy and do the necessary arrest for he may be really serious in selling his kid out.
@laglen (19759)
• United States
19 Mar 10
I agree, hopefully they can track him through his posting
1 person likes this
• Canada
19 Mar 10
some people are just sick and twisted. I can't believe the stupid, sick,and twisted things that people will do. Thankfully the internet opens them up to a million billion witnesses, so they can be more easily caught.
1 person likes this
@laglen (19759)
• United States
19 Mar 10
good point and the ability to let everybody else know what a sick freak he is.
@ravinskye (8237)
• United States
19 Mar 10
You would like to think that it is a hoax but the scary and sad thing is it might not be. They have to go at it thinking it is real just incase it is and this boy could get sold to someone bad. I can understand the struggles of raising a kid and not being able to afford it, but if you truly love your kid you wouldn't put them up to the highest bidder. Who knows what kid of sick person could buy that kid. Mostly likely it would be a child predator that would sexually abuse the poor kid. I really hope this turns out to be a hoax.
2 people like this
@laglen (19759)
• United States
19 Mar 10
If you can't care for the child, you should go to a reputable adoption agency that will check out the family
1 person likes this