Arkansas – In a shocking case out of Arkansas that drew national outrage, a 22-year-old man, identified as D. Urban, and a 21-year-old woman, identified as S. Ehlers, have now been sentenced for attempting to trade their 2-month-old son for alcohol and cash. The disturbing incident, which took place at a campground in September 2024, ended with the child being rescued and the parents arrested. This week, those legal proceedings reached a resolution.
Urban pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to accept compensation for adoption. In return, prosecutors dropped an additional charge of endangering the welfare of a minor. Judge B. Karren accepted the plea and sentenced Urban to three years in prison, with another three-year sentence suspended. His time behind bars follows a previous conviction for theft, which prosecutors said played a role in the court’s decision to issue a more severe penalty. Ehlers received a more lenient sentence. She pleaded guilty to both attempting to accept compensation and child endangerment, but the judge deferred acceptance of her plea. Instead, Ehlers was placed on six years of state-supervised probation—a deal that could result in no permanent criminal record if she complies with all conditions.
The charges stem from a series of events that began on September 21, 2024, at the campground. Authorities were alerted by a concerned individual who called the sheriff’s office from the campground manager’s phone, reporting that the couple had tried to give their baby away in exchange for booze—and later asked for $1,000 in cash. Deputies arrived to find a disturbing situation. A handwritten contract, signed by both Urban and Ehlers, spelled out the proposed exchange of their baby to a man named Cody Martin. It read: “I, Urban, and Ehlers, are signing our rights over to C. Martin of our baby boy… for $1,000 on 09/21/2024. Disclaimer: After signing this there will be no changing yall two’s minds and to never contact again.”
According to the affidavit, multiple witnesses confirmed seeing the parents sign the document, and law enforcement later obtained cellphone video of the exchange. Ehlers had earlier approached another couple’s camper requesting beer, something witnesses said she often did. When they declined, another man, identified as R. Crawford, offered beer in exchange for keeping the baby overnight. Crawford, described by investigators as heavily intoxicated, claimed he was concerned about the baby’s safety and wanted to remove him from the parents’ care.
Urban and Ehlers agreed to Crawford’s offer, handing over their son along with a diaper bag. Crawford then delivered the child to Martin at another camper. It was there that the parents returned, discussed terms with Martin, and signed the document outlining the planned $1,000 payment. Martin later told authorities he had written the agreement to give it the appearance of legality, and he intended to write a check for the baby a few days later. However, no money had yet exchanged hands.
The infant was taken to a hospital and found to show signs of neglect. According to court documents, both Urban and Ehlers admitted to law enforcement that they planned to finalize the deal and believed their video recording of the agreement would make it “legal.” A detective wrote in the affidavit, “It is believed both Urban and Ehlers created a substantial risk of death or serious physical injury by abandoning their minor child initially with an obviously intoxicated male and ultimately with someone they did not know.”
As part of their sentencing agreements, neither parent is allowed to have any contact with their child, now a toddler. The boy remains in protective custody. Though the legal process has ended, the case continues to highlight the vulnerability of children in precarious family situations—and the critical importance of community vigilance and swift law enforcement response when a child’s life is at risk.
