Who Says California Is a High-Cost State?

You may have read this story about the Salinas couple who tried to sell their 6-month-old baby in a Walmart parking lot for $25.

From the Chronicle:

Salinas police spokesman, Officer Lalo Villegas, said Thursday that Patrick Fousek, 38, and Samantha Tomasini, 20, were arrested early Wednesday, hours after Fousek allegedly approached two women outside Walmart and asked if they'd like to purchase his child.

The women initially thought Fousek was joking, but when he became persistent, they became suspicious and reported it to police, Villegas said.

The story reminded me of a similar incident in Pensacola, Fla., a few years ago.

From the Associated Press in December 2007:

A couple was charged Friday with trying to sell their 2-month-old baby for $30 in a store parking lot, authorities said.

Robert G. Ellingson, 23, approached two people in the PetSmart parking lot and offered them a beer. When they refused, he offered to sell his child, Escambia County Sheriff's officials said.

"At first they thought it was a joke," sheriff's spokesman Glenn Austin told the Pensacola News Journal. "But then the mother yelled to the group that they were trying to sell the baby. And one of them called us."

Two thoughts: (1.) Apparently your baby fetches a better price outside a PetSmart than a Walmart. (2.) Babies are selling for $30 in Pensacola, but $25 here? If only our real-estate costs were comparable.