Florida Woman Arrested After Selling Grandson For $30,000

The boy's mother has been incarcerated on unrelated charges

It happened in the parking lot of a Best Buy, but there was nothing good about the sale taking place: a Holly Hill woman handing her 8-week-old grandson over to a stranger in exchange for $30,000.

Patty Bigbee, 45, originally offered the child for $75,000 before agreeing to a lower price, according to the Daytona Beach News-Journal.

Authorities would not say how the buyer originally found out the child was for sale, or whether the Internet was involved, but said the buyer became gravely concerned and immediately began working with police to set up a sting.

Bigbee and her boyfriend, 42-year-old Lawrence Work, arrived at the Daytona Beach store to meet the buyer Friday afternoon and began unloading a stroller and toys. Police waited until the child was safe in his new car seat before taking the pair into custody.

The boy is now in the care of the Department of Children and Families.

"They were looking to sell this infant to anyone," said Florida Department of Law Enforcement Resident Agent-in-Charge Wayne Ivey, who saw Bigbee charged with with illegal sale of a child and communication fraud, and Word with being principal to the illegal sale of a child.

"This transaction today was: 'Take this baby, give us our money and go.'"

Bigbee is the boy's maternal grandmother, and had custody of the child for the last few weeks while her daughter was incarcerated on unrelated charges. Police say she and Work had recently purchased a new Chevy Malibu, and the motive for selling the baby was largely financial.

"They seemed like they loved him," said a neighbor who often observed Bigbee and Work outside their apartment with her grandson, "...but they were very...colorful."

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