73-year-old suspect accused of attempting to purchase 10-month-old girl at auction in Louisiana

A 73-year-old man has been taken into custody in Louisiana after allegedly trying to buy a 10-month-old girl at a local auction. Howell Gene Penton was apprehended in Angie on November 29 following a police investigation into the incident, which occurred several days earlier.

The special investigations unit of the Washington Parish Sheriffs Office, together with the Angie Police Department, began probing the case on November 26, after reports surfaced about the attempted sale of a minor. Authorities claim that Penton approached a woman at the Angie Auction House, seeking to purchase her infant daughter.

Following an undercover operation, law enforcement secured an arrest warrant for Penton, who was taken into custody without resistance. Further information about what prompted Penton to make the offer has not been released.

The investigation remains ongoing, with the Angie Auction House fully cooperating with authorities, according to the sheriffs office.

Author: Grace Ellison