Florida Woman Tried Selling Baby to Stranger for $500: Police

According to the Palatka Police Department, 33-year-old Jessica Woods was arrested earlier this month and charged with child abuse, child neglect, and abandonment of a child, following her alleged actions on March 5 in front of a local business.

Per police, Woods was spotted in front of the business with her 18-month-old daughter "for a few days," before an anonymous citizen -- and employee of said business -- eventually contacted the woman and asked if she or her child needed any assistance.

"Woods told the citizen she did not need anything but, offered to sell the child to the citizen for $500.00," said authorities. "When the citizen refused to purchase the child, Woods walked away, leaving her daughter behind."

The employee "immediately" picked up the baby and brought her to the police department, informing cops of what allegedly went down. Woods was arrested two days later, on March 7, and transported to Putnam County Jail, where she remains incarcerated on $255,000 bond.

According to the probable cause affidavit, via Daily Mail, the alleged incident went down at an H&R Block -- with the employee telling police they saw Woods "hit her daughter with her elbow and spank her." The employee also allegedly witnessed Woods sleeping outside the establishment, saw her place the child on the ground before it began to crawl toward the street and referred to the baby as a "b-----d" while trying to sell her.

Per Law&Crime, a judge ordered Woods to have no contact with her daughter, who has since been placed in foster care.