An Arkansas couple has been sentenced after pleading guilty to attempting to sell their two-month-old infant son to a stranger at a campground in exchange for cash and alcohol, according to court records, as reported by The Gateway Pundit.
Darien Urban, 22, and Shalene Ehlers, 21, both of Rogers, Arkansas, were charged following a September 2024 incident at the Beaver Lake Hide-A-Way Campground in Benton County.
According to court documents, the couple approached a man identified as Cody Martin at the campground and offered to relinquish their infant son in exchange for $1,000 and a six-pack of beer.
NEW: An Arkansas couple has pleaded guilty after trying to sell their baby boy at a campsite for $1,000 and a six-pack of beer.
According to court records, Darien Urban, 22, and Shalene Ehlers, 21, signed a written agreement transferring custody of their child to a stranger.… pic.twitter.com/LcazF7gXlV
— Tony Lane 🇺🇸 (@TonyLaneNV) December 27, 2025
Investigators said the couple went so far as to formalize the arrangement in writing.
The handwritten document, drafted and signed by both parents, stated:
“I, Darien Urban and Shalene Ehlers, are signing our rights over to Cody Martin of our baby for $1,000 on 9/21/24. After signing this there will be no changing y’all two’s minds to never contact again.”
Authorities said a witness at the campground overheard the conversation and became alarmed.
The witness used the campground manager’s office phone to contact law enforcement and turned over the signed document to responding deputies.
The Benton County Sheriff’s Office arrested Urban and Ehlers following the report. Both were initially charged with endangering the welfare of a minor and attempting to accept consideration for the relinquishment of a minor.
On December 22, Urban and Ehlers appeared in Benton County Circuit Court before Brad Karren, where they entered plea agreements with prosecutors.
Urban pleaded guilty to one count of attempted acceptance of compensation for adoption. He was sentenced to three years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections, with an additional three-year sentence suspended.
As part of the plea deal, the charge of endangering the welfare of a minor against Urban was dismissed.
Ehlers pleaded guilty to both charges: endangering the welfare of a minor and attempting to accept consideration for relinquishment of a minor.
‼️A CONTRACT signed by a ◻️HITE COUPLE who tried to SELL their two-month-old BABY BOY to a stranger for $1,000 and six-pack of beer 👶🍻
Darien Tyler Urban, 21, and Shalene Faith Ehlers, 20, were trying to trade their baby boy to a man they met at a campground.
📌 Deputies… pic.twitter.com/S4qzu0NllO
— i Expose Racists & Pedos (@SeeRacists) January 17, 2025
Under the terms of her plea agreement, she was sentenced to six years of state-supervised probation, with her sentences suspended. Court records show she will not serve prison time.
The infant was removed from the couple’s custody following the incident. Court filings did not specify the child’s current placement, citing privacy protections involving minors.
Prosecutors detailed that the attempted transaction occurred in a public campground setting and emphasized the role of the witness who alerted authorities before the exchange could be completed.
Investigators credited the witness’s quick action with preventing the child from being unlawfully transferred.
The case has drawn attention in northwest Arkansas due to the nature of the attempted exchange and the written contract presented as evidence. Officials said no further charges are expected at this time.
