Arkansas couple allegedly tried to sell baby at campsite

BENTON COUNTY, ARKANSAS, Arkansas – Two people were arrested and accused of attempting to sell their two-month-old baby for $1,000 at a Benton County campground on Sept. 21.

Darien Urban and Shalene Ehlers, the baby's parents, were arrested by the Benton County Sheriff's Office (BCSO) on September 21. They are accused of attempting to trade their baby for money and beer.

Urban, 21, is charged with first-degree endangering the welfare of a minor and accepting compensation for an adoption. His bail is set at $50,000.

Ehlers' booking information states she is charged with first-degree endangering the welfare of a minor and accepting compensation for an adoption. Bail is set at $30,000.

According to an affidavit, BCSO was called to Hide Away Campground on Sept. 21. The caller claimed the parents of a two-month-old baby were trying to give the baby away for a six-pack of beer and then $1,000.

“The parents wrote a letter to the person who made the call transferring custody of the baby to them,” the affidavit states. The caller also noted that the baby appeared to need medical attention.

An officer went to the campground where emergency services were on scene. The parents were not on scene and the baby was taken to a nearby hospital, the affidavit states.

Witnesses at the scene were interviewed and the letter signed by the suspects was obtained. According to the affidavit, the letter stated the following:

“I, Darien Urban and Shalene Ehlers, assign our rights to [redacted] our little boy [redacted] for $1,000 on September 21, 2024.”

The letter was signed by the couple and included a statement that “after signing, it is not possible to change either person's mind and that they will never contact each other again,” the affidavit said. A witness at the scene had a cell phone video of the couple signing the letter.

The affidavit states that a detective discovered that the baby was given to someone at the campground in exchange for a six-pack of beer and that the baby was then passed on to someone else for the $1,000. However, one of the people involved stated that no money was actually given.

The person who traded the beer for the baby was interviewed and said they were concerned about the baby's well-being and wanted to keep it overnight. The affidavit stated that this person was stumbling, had slurred speech and had a strong smell of alcohol on their breath.

Urban and Ehler, the parents, were interviewed and said the baby was with the person who “adopted” it. The two were arrested and taken to BCSO, where they described the events, according to the affidavit.

“They explained [redacted] They made an agreement that they videotaped to make sure it was legal, and they planned to “legalize” it on Monday. They both explained that they then left with the understanding that the baby [redacted] in exchange for $1,000 to be collected on Monday,” the affidavit states.

Witnesses told investigators that the baby “smelled foul of ammonia and feces” and that when changing the diaper they noticed “severe rash, blisters and swelling on the baby's bottom and genitals.”

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