Pre-trial restraint imposed on woman in Mykolaiv for selling newborn child

A court in Mykolaiv has imposed a pre-trial restraint on a woman who sold her newborn child for $10,000. The suspect will be held in custody until March or until she posts bail.

This is evidenced by the decision of the Central District Court of Mykolaiv.

In Mykolaiv, police exposed a woman who tried to sell her newborn child. According to the investigation, the pregnant woman and her partner organized a criminal scheme to obtain money without intending to raise the baby.

Even before the baby was born, they were looking for a potential buyer. On November 21, 2025, the woman met with a person acting under the control of law enforcement and announced her readiness to sell her child. On the territory of the Liski Park near the Mykolaiv Regional Hospital, she received the first part of the advance - 5 thousand hryvnias, for which she issued a written receipt. The next day, her partner received the second part of the sum - 3 thousand hryvnias.

The very next day after the birth of the baby, the woman handed over the baby to the buyer and received USD 10 thousand for it. All the actions of the offenders were monitored by law enforcement officers, and after the transfer of the child, the woman was detained.

During the court hearing, the suspect pleaded guilty. She explained that she and her partner had decided to give the child to a woman who could not get pregnant for medical reasons, and noted that she already had another child who was under the care of other people.

The court imposed on the suspect a 60-day detention with the possibility of bail in excess of UAH 330,000. In case of bail, the woman is obliged to notify the investigator of any changes in her place of residence and means of communication and not to leave Mykolaiv. The court ruling can be appealed to the Mykolaiv Court of Appeal within five days.

The Mykolaiv Regional Prosecutor's Office also announced the completion of a pre-trial investigation into crimes against children. The investigation established and documented the facts of recruitment of two young children for sexual exploitation and their rape.

Анна Бальчінос