Kentucky couple tried to sell their newborn twins for $5,000, reports say

A Kentucky couple is in jail on promotion of human trafficking charges after being accused of trying to sell their newborn twin daughters for $5,000, according to media reports.

Jackson County authorities charged the 22-year-old woman and 23-year-old man on Monday after the couple attempted to sell their children to a family member, WKYT reported.

“Fortunately, this is the first time I’ve ever had to charge this, and hopefully I never have to charge it again,” Chief Deputy Zachary Bryant with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office told the Kentucy-based TV station.

Bryant said the couple's twins were less than a year old, according to WKYT.

"Jackson County’s very small, the population’s around 13,000,” Bryant said. “Pretty much everybody knows everybody, so it is a sad situation.”

USA TODAY contacted the Jackson County Sheriff's Office but did not receive an immediate response.

How did the couple get caught?

According to the arrest report obtained by WKYT, the man's sister-in-law contacted the sheriff's office and told them the couple agreed to sell their twin girls to her for $5,000.

The sister-in-law provided screenshots and recordings of the alleged proposal to authorities, according to the TV station.

The couple allegedly admitted to the sheriff's office that they agreed to sell their daughters, but neither said they planned to go through with the sale, WKYT reported.

The couple remains in Jackson County jail with $10,000 bonds each, according to inmate records. Their next court date is scheduled for March 25, court documents show.