Free Baby Craigslist Prank Lands Mississippi Teen In Trouble

CLINTON, Miss. -- Police in Mississippi say charges are pending against a Jackson area teen for pulling a prank on a friend when he advertised a free baby on Craigslist using the friend's cellphone number on the contact information.

Byington says the 18-year-old student at Clinton High took a photo of an unknown baby boy and placed the ad on Craigslist to give away – not sell – the baby. He says police interviewed the student Monday.

Prosecutors say the posting of such information can be prosecuted under state law that makes the "posting of messages through electronic media for the purpose of causing injury to another person" a felony.

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Comments

[summer261987]

09:56 PM on 03/02/2012

guess nobody's laugh now~

[Jernigan23]

09:42 PM on 03/02/2012

The only problem I see here is the pic of the random child. If I had been the mother and stumbled apon my childs pic on craigslist as a joke I would be furious. There are enough crazy people who could see that picture and try and take the child anyways. If there had been no picture, then I would say "kids being kids", but they shold be given maybe some community service for the picture, false advertisment, and the cost of involving the officials. Yep, sounds good to me.

[kareemachan]

01:24 PM on 03/02/2012

Stupid is as stupid does.

[PleaseNoPolitics]

05:03 PM on 03/01/2012

I'm sure the kid's number was on facebook already sooo...

[Hansy Peguero]

11:47 AM on 03/01/2012

This country is becoming too scary. Going to jail for a harmless prank?? when did we become so paranoid?

[Matthew Chase Ruffino]

02:47 PM on 03/02/2012

Right........ After.......... The....... Cold....... War........

[freetickeys]

08:49 AM on 03/01/2012

I've listed some dumb stuff on craigslist just for jokes. It's like submitting phoney stuff for wikipedia to share as knowledge. It's just a joke people....lighten up!

[janroc67]

05:52 AM on 03/01/2012

Teenagers just don't think..........

[anitafeeney]

05:30 AM on 03/01/2012

be careful what you put out there it may land you in trouble

[jon w]

04:24 AM on 03/01/2012

lightin up america like we have the time or money to prosecute anyone for a harmless prank,fools unless the kid that got his number put out there wants to sue evrybody else in the matter is null it was a joke between two kids for the whole world to see mind your own buissnes and get a life it has nothing to do with any authorities its a JOKE like the way you fools are treating are justice sytem its like when someone crys wolf and the man power is wasted to help them when there is a real victim in need you f'ers with all the power need to leave the pranksters alone and spend americas time and money on real issues ,MORONS.

[lifehub]

04:59 AM on 03/01/2012

I don't think you get it dude.

[Michael Myer]

10:26 AM on 03/01/2012

What a waste of law enforcement and the judicial system. I understand the original investigation caused a waste of time too, but continuing to follow this and file charges only exacerbates the issue. Make the kid do something, like a written apology or something, or pay for any costs, and move on.

[John Eylar]

02:05 AM on 03/01/2012

So catching drug dealers, murderers, rapists, and thieves is not as important???

[crazybeachkid87]

02:37 AM on 03/01/2012

I'm glad to see that they are fighting real crime in Mississippi. How rediculosly pathetic. Let us uses the judicial system to prosecute individuals that actually harm society. I'm completely with you on this!

[Thaddeus Jude]

01:42 AM on 03/01/2012

Harmless prank. Cops must be bored.

[lifehub]

05:00 AM on 03/01/2012

Sorry but this one could've turned out real bad, especially when there was a kid involved.

[anitafeeney]

05:36 AM on 03/01/2012

its all in fun and games till someone gets hurt

[virgoman1]

12:59 AM on 03/01/2012

Stupid takes many forms. Hopefully this young clown who thought he was being cute will have a lot of time in the ole slammer to reflect on what he did! There are desperate people wanting to adopt a baby, and this could have turned very ugly. Some people obvously have little regard for human life, real or fantasy!

[nikkitytom]

12:00 AM on 03/01/2012

After a little online sleuthing, I found that the victim of this prank was also a male. Which to my mind reduces this whole caper to a practical joke.

Surely the police have better things to do with their time and the tax-payer's money. How about somebody with three marihuana plants in their back yard or an illegal parked car? Come on, guys. Show those badges and pat the gun at your hips.

[Ray Paris]

12:29 AM on 03/01/2012

Nope, why should they do that, let them enjoy their trips to dunkin doughnut!

[Amy Tolliver]

11:45 PM on 02/29/2012

I could use another kid. I'll take a free one. I prefer a girl, Quadroon if possible (1/4 black), but I'll take whatever is available. I do have two boys so I wouldn't have to buy new clothes with a boy, but my mom wants a granddaughter and I don't want to "have" and more kids. But like I said, I'll take what I can get.

[Gas-Bag]

12:13 AM on 03/01/2012

There is a little girl out there that would love to be adopted and have her very own Mommy that really loves her, not to mention having two big brothers to be proud of. I hope that you find her.

[anitafeeney]

05:34 AM on 03/01/2012

quadroon now there is a term i have not heard since i lived in louisianna when i was a small kid ( five or six)

[ShawnzySwag]

11:26 PM on 02/29/2012

"posting of messages through electronic media for the purpose of causing injury to another person"

Do tell me where giving her phone number caused injury to her? Emotional injury? Good luck proving that. Let's see how bad this case goes down for prosecutors.

I think the law was written to prevent untrue statements from causing someone to get physically hurt.