Police say an 81-year-old man attempted to buy an 8-year-old girl from her mother for $200,000 at a Florida Walmart.
Port Orange police say that Hellmuth Kolb was arrested Saturday and charged with simple battery and false imprisonment. Police say Tracy Nigh was sitting with her daughter on a bench inside the Walmart when Kolb approached, asked if she was married and started bidding on her daughter.
Nigh says she got up to leave, but Kolb grabbed her daughter and kissed her wrist.
“It seemed like a friendly conversation. He didn’t seem a threat at first,” Nigh said. “I think what was going through my mind…is what is going to happen here? And I just need to get her away as quickly as possible."
Nigh left with her daughter and alerted store security. Authorities say the exchange was caught on camera and Kolb was identified through his credit card transaction and social media, where another woman described a similar experience.
Kolb has since bonded out of jail. He told Florida reporters that he did not know why he was in court in the first place.
The Associated Press wire services contributed to this report.