An Arkansas couple, Darien Urban, 21, and Shalene Ehlers, 20, are facing charges for allegedly attempting to sell their two-month-old son for a six-pack of beer and a sum of money, according to local law enforcement. The couple has been charged with endangering the welfare of a minor and attempting to accept consideration for relinquishment of a minor, as per Benton County court records.
The incident came to light on September 21, when an individual at the Beaver Lake Hide-A-Way Campground in Rogers, Arkansas, reported to the Benton County Sheriff’s Office that the couple had tried to exchange their baby for beer and then demanded $1,000 for the child. Rogers, a rapidly growing city, is located a few miles east of the Oklahoma border and is known for being the first site of a Walmart store.
According to the affidavit of probable cause filed in the case, the couple had even drafted a contract stating their intention to relinquish their parental rights to a man named Cody Nathaniel Martin in exchange for $1,000. The contract was allegedly signed by Urban and Ehlers in the presence of multiple witnesses, and a video of the signing was reportedly captured on a cell phone.
The affidavit further states that the couple initially tried to trade their baby for beer with another couple at the campground. When they were refused, a man named Ricky Crawford offered them beer in return for keeping the baby overnight. Crawford, who was described as heavily intoxicated during his interview with investigators, allegedly expressed concern for the baby’s welfare and wanted to remove him from the couple’s care for the night.
The couple agreed to Crawford’s offer and handed over their baby along with a diaper bag. Crawford then took the baby to Martin at another camper at the campground. The couple later joined Martin and Crawford and signed the contract. Martin reportedly told law enforcement that he had drafted the contract and planned to pay the couple $1,000 on September 23.
The affidavit concludes that the couple created a substantial risk of death or serious physical injury by leaving their child with an intoxicated man and then with a stranger. After being read their rights, the couple reportedly admitted to their plan to sell their child. They claimed that they had agreed to Crawford’s request to take the baby for the night and later decided to offer the baby to Martin for $1,000.
The owner of the campground eventually learned about the transaction and alerted the authorities. The baby, who showed signs of neglect, was taken to a hospital. Both Urban and Ehlers were held on $50,000 bail. According to Benton County Sheriff’s Office records, the father has since been released, while the mother remains in custody.