Pray for these kids

[Catty1]

I hope someday very soon they will know they are LOVED.


http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/1..._children_swap
Louisiana woman gets 15 months for selling 2 children for a bird

Tue Feb 23, 9:17 AM

By The Associated Press

VILLE PLATTE, La. - A 52-year-old Louisiana woman has pleaded guilty to two counts of sale of a minor for trading two children to a couple in exchange for an exotic pet bird and $175.

Donna Greenwell received 15 months of hard labour on each count on Monday, which she will serve concurrently. Greenwell will begin serving her sentence March 25.

The couple, Paul James Romero and Brandy Romero, each pleaded guilty to the same charges in October.

Paul Romero, left, reportedly gave $175 and a pet cockatoo to Donna Greenwell, right, in exchange for a four-year-old girl and five-year-old boy in her care. Greenwell was sentenced to 30 months' hard labour Monday. Romero and his wife, Brandy, had pleaded guilty to two counts of sale of a minor in October. (Evangeline Parrish Sheriff's Office/Associated Press)

Greenwell was accused of selling the couple a four-year-old girl and five-year-old boy in return for the cash and a cockatoo.

Both children were in Greenwell's care after their biological parents had left them with her.

More details from CBC:
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/0...dren-swap.html

The Romeros had advertised that they were selling their pet cockatoo for $1,500, and Greenwell reportedly responded and said she wanted to buy the bird.

Greenwell then told the Romeros she was taking care of three children whose parents were going through a separation and proposed including two of the children in the deal.

An anonymous tipster contacted authorities after the children began living with the Romeros.

The children were well taken care of when they were with the Romeros, who badly wanted children, said Capt. Keith Dupre of the Evangeline Parrish Sheriff's Office in Louisiana at the time of the arrest.

Greenwell will begin serving her sentence on March 25.

[lvpets2002]

OMG that is so Sad.. However they say the kids were in great care with the other couple.. Maybe this couple can keep the kids & love them..

[Catty1]

Helene, that would be good...except they paid some money and a bird for them. I hope they are not dealt with harshly, though.

Also - the biological parents are separating. They may be really good people who thought this lady was ok. I expect they are horrified and devastated.

I wonder if she is related to them?

And yes, I was glad to see they had good care.

[wombat2u2004]

OMG....those poor kids.

[lvpets2002]

Yes I understand they paid for them.. But at least they wanted these kids & was very good to them.. I hope this couple gets off lightly & maybe will have a chance to foster & or adopt the kids..

Helene, that would be good...except they paid some money and a bird for them. I hope they are not dealt with harshly, though.

Also - the biological parents are separating. They may be really good people who thought this lady was ok. I expect they are horrified and devastated.

I wonder if she is related to them?

And yes, I was glad to see they had good care.

[Twisterdog]

Yes I understand they paid for them.. But at least they wanted these kids & was very good to them.. I hope this couple gets off lightly & maybe will have a chance to foster & or adopt the kids..

I agree. Dumb idea, no doubt ... let's trade a bird for kids because we really want kids. But stupidity does not preclude one from loving and caring.

Obviously, the woman who traded them for a bird is an ogre, though. And what of the biological parents? So they were separating ... neither one of them could keep the kids? Sounds like a bad deal there, too.

Sounds like perhaps the not-too-bright folks might have been the first people to ever care about these poor kids.

[Catty1]

I agree that maybe the couple should get to keep the kids...but I doubt the authorities will see it that way.