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COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS — Police took an infant into protective custody Tuesday after the mother allegedly attempted to sell the child while experiencing a drug-related psychotic episode.
The woman went from the parking lot of a child care center near her home, 6800 South and 2300 East, into a restaurant and later got on a bus, all the while carrying the baby in her arms and telling people she wanted to sell the baby for $50 so it could have a better life with someone else, said Cottonwood Heights Police Sgt. Gary Young.
"She was expressing that the baby would be better off with a mother that's not on drugs," Young said. "She was kind of manic, going from conversational tones to screaming at the top of her lungs, which is what alarmed a lot of people."
Several people called police about 5:30 p.m., and officers eventually caught up with the mother and admitted her to Intermountain Medical Center. The baby was taken to The Christmas Box House when no relatives could be located, and the Division of Child and Family Services was notified.
The woman, believed to be in her 30s, told police she had been using oxycodone, and officers believe she may have taken other drugs as well, Young said.
No charges have been filed, and police are treating the case as a mental health concern, Young said. Officers have had encounters with the woman in the past, he said. Police weren't sure whether she has other children.
"We're just looking out for what's best for the child," Young said, adding that the woman has been refered to mental health professionals while her parenting abilities are evaluated.
