Australian woman investigated for trying to sell kids on Internet

Australian woman investigated for trying to sell kids on Internet

CANBERRA, July 17 (Xinhua) -- An Australian woman is beinginvestigated by police after she offered her children for sale onthe Internet, local media reported on Sunday.

The woman placed an auction on eBay offering to sell twochildren, her son and daughter, both under the age of 10, to thehighest bidder.

Several people placed bids on the auction, which has alarmedauthorities.

Police has closed the auction and tracked the woman down, but shetold detectives she was only joking.

Bill Muehlenberg from the Family Council of Victoria said it isno laughing matter.

"Plenty of children, certainly around this age, are strugglingwith issues of identity and self-worth and so on," he was quoted bythe ABC News on Sunday.

"To know that your own parent has put you up on offer like a usedCD is a bit of a concern and certainly could have some negativeimpacts on the children in question."

The Victorian police decided not to press charges against themum, but the Department of Human Services is continuing itsinvestigation into the family, and there is possibility that thewoman's children could be taken into permanent care.