Wendy Williams/Facebook
A 21-year-old Texas woman is behind bars, facing accusations of trying to sell her newborn baby on Facebook. Juniper Bryson, 21, of Houston is being held on a $30,000 bond in the Harris County Jail.
Court records said she posted in a Facebook group called “Birth Mothers Looking for Adoptive Parent(s)” on Sept. 22, saying that she was in Houston but was willing to travel.
The day before, she reached out to an out-of-state family member, asking if they knew anyone looking to adopt. In the conversation, according to court records, Bryson indicated that the child would be drug-positive.
The family member posted to Facebook asking if anyone she knew was interested in adopting the baby. “She needs someone there during labor and to take the baby boy home. She doesn’t want him going into foster care,” charging documents said the post read.
During a subsequent conversation, Bryson revealed to the family member that she wanted payment for the baby. “It’s not even like that, just enough to move into an apartment so I can work a job and get (my daughter) back, or a cheap down payment, or any car to get to different places to DoorDash. Nothing crazy at all,” the message read according to records.
In the days following, Bryson conversed with at least seven different people regarding the adoption of her child, investigators found. Some of the individuals said they were struggling with fertility.
“I am interested. I am 29 years old, have a good paying job and brick home,” one of the prospective parents said, according to court records. “Me and my fiance (want) to start a family of our own, but due to infertility, it’s not easy. Please feel free to reach out.”
Another same-sex couple reached out to Bryson, records show, and were driving in from Louisiana during the overnight hours on Sept. 22 to be with Bryson and the baby.
“Juniper sent him a picture of the food she was trying to order, and he sent her money, a total of $25 via Apple Pay to complete the food delivery,” charging documents read. “(The prospective parent) stated that 3.5 hours into their trip to Houston, she asked them to send her $150.”
Bryson blocked the prospective parent’s number and then unblocked him, according to records, and said, “If the baby wasn’t worth $200 to them, then screw all.”
The couple turned around and headed back to Louisiana. Wendy Williams lives in Houston. She is one of the many people who responded to the Facebook post. When she learned that Bryson was in labor on Sept. 23, she said she sent an Uber to the hotel she was staying at to take her to the hospital and met her there.
The baby was born on Sept. 24 at 2 a.m. Williams, who was adopted herself, said she was with Bryson while she was in labor for eight hours and stayed at the hospital for a total of three days. “I felt a real bond between a mom and a baby,” Williams recalled. “I felt a connection as if he were biologically mine.”
Court records show the baby tested positive for drugs after birth. Williams said she watched as Bryson suffered withdrawals from drugs in the hospital. “I just thought this was someone who was in a really bad position,” Williams explained. “The drugs had overtaken, and she just wanted to get better.”
Bryson allowed Williams and her husband to name the baby. Both parties also signed legal documents that gave them the ability to make legal decisions for the baby. The documents were notarized.
While she was still in the hospital, Bryson posted to Facebook saying she found a home for the baby and tagged Williams, she says. “A lot of people started commenting really really ugly things,” Williams recalled. “‘How dare you sell this baby?’ And then they were tagging me, ‘How dare you buy this baby?'”
Williams said she was confused because payment had never been discussed. She asked Bryson about it. “‘Hey, what is this? You know a lot of people are sending me these screenshots. What is going on?'” Williams said she asked Bryson. “At that very moment, she requested that the nurse remove me from the room, and I did. I got escorted downstairs with gifts that my family had brought to the hospital.”
Williams said she contacted CPS, which got the police involved. Bryson was escorted out of the hospital in handcuffs on open warrants days after giving birth. Before she left, Williams said Bryson revoked her custody of the child.
“I also do think that she felt betrayed as well,” Williams said. “She knew I reported her and that CPS was coming. That may have been a trigger for her.” Williams, who says she is a licensed foster parent, attended a court hearing for the baby when he was released from the hospital in hopes of regaining custody. She said a judge gave the baby to one of Bryson’s friends.
ABC13 asked the Texas Department of Family Services about Bryson but they said they could not comment on specific cases. “In every case where a child comes into the state’s care, family members or friends are considered first for placement,” a spokesperson for DFPS said. “Ultimately, the decision of where a child is placed is up to the court.”
Williams is not giving up hope that she could become the child’s mother again. “It was very heartbreaking, not just because we didn’t get a baby out of this, because I think his safety is definitely above all,” Williams said.
