Prank offer of free baby lands teen in trouble

[February 29, 2012]  CLINTON, Miss. (AP) -- 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.

Police Chief Don Byington would not identify the youths involved, but told The Clarion-Ledger (http://on.thec-l.com/zxbTap) the posting was "a bad practical joke."

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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Information from: The Clarion-Ledger, http://www.clarionledger.com/

[Associated Press]

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