An Arkansas couple, Darien Urban and Shalene Ehlers, were arrested for attempting to sell their two-month-old baby to a man at a campground for $1,000 and a six-pack of beer. They are facing felony charges of endangering the welfare of a minor and attempting to accept compensation for relinquishment of a minor. The Benton County Sheriff’s Office received a call from the campground manager reporting the incident and the couple signed a letter granting custody of their child before handing him over to someone else. The child was found in need of medical attention and is now in the care of the Arkansas Department of Human Services.
Witnesses corroborated the attempted adoption, reporting that Ricky Crawford had visited Urban and Ehlers at the campground and offered to take the baby for the night in exchange for beer. Crawford was heavily intoxicated at the time and expressed concern for the baby’s well-being. Urban and Ehlers agreed to the exchange, giving the baby to Crawford, who then brought the child to Cody Nathaniel Martin at another camper at the campground. Urban and Ehlers later came to the camper where the baby was and spoke with Martin and Crawford before signing a letter approving the transfer of custody.
Martin told deputies that he had drawn up the contract and although no money had exchanged hands at the time, he planned to bring the couple a $1,000 check on a later date. Urban and Ehlers claimed that they had agreed to surrender the baby to Martin in exchange for $1,000 in cash. Martin mentioned that he had spoken to the mother, who expressed that having three dogs and a baby was not working out for them. Urban was released on a $50,000 bond, while Ehlers remains in custody on a $30,000 bail at the Benton County Jail.
Last year, Urban had created a GoFundMe page, in which he mentioned that he and Ehlers were struggling financially after the birth of their first child. Witnesses reported that the baby was found in distress, with a strong ammonia and fecal odor coming from him, along with severe diaper rash, blisters, and swelling. A deputy at the scene obtained cellphone video footage of Urban and Ehlers signing the contract with Martin. The couple stated that they were planning to ‘legalize’ the agreement on Monday after handing the baby over to Martin in exchange for $1,000.
The incident at the campground sparked outrage and concern for the welfare of the child involved. Multiple witnesses testified to the attempted adoption and exchange of custody, detailing how Urban and Ehlers agreed to give up their baby in exchange for financial compensation. The child was transported to a hospital for evaluation for signs of neglect and is under the care of the Arkansas Department of Human Services. The couple now faces serious charges for endangering the welfare of a minor and attempting to sell their child, leading to their arrest and subsequent legal proceedings.
