A South Coast father has apparently offered his one-year-old daughter up for adoption on a classifieds website.
A picture of the smiling baby girl appeared on the Gumtree website on Tuesday night, along with an advert offering the girl up for adoption "for free".
"I am seeking a loving and caring family to adopt our 1year old daughter, her mother passed away and it been very difficult for more (sic) to provide her with the all the attention,care and love she deserves," the advertisement states.
Online ad for baby's adoption is a hoax, police believe Baby put up for adoption on Gumtree websiteThe baby is listed on the site between a Kelvinator fridge/freezer and a Samsung top loading washing machine, on a page entitled "General stuff for sale and wanted in Sydney".
The advertisement still appears on the website's contents page, however readers are now unable to click through to find out further details.
The same advertisement has been posted in a separate pregnancy chatroom, and one person has replied, offering a "safe, loving home for your child".
The NSW Community Services Department (DoCS) was alerted about the advert through its helpline, a spokesperson confirmed.
"DoCS caseworkers alerted the NSW Police immediately to assist in locating the person who placed the advertisement," DoCS said in a statement today.
"The identity and location of the child is not known and there is very limited information available to the Department at this stage.
"If the classified advertisement is genuine, there is a father out there in the community who really needs support."
DoCS has urged the father or anyone who may know the father to contact the DoCS Helpline on 132 111.
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