Kentucky couple arrested for allegedly trying to sell newborn twin daughters for $5,000

A Kentucky couple who were arrested on human trafficking-related charges after allegedly trying to sell their newborn twin daughters for $5,000 claimed that the offer was a joke.

Zackary Davis and Jacquilyn Keith, of Jackson County, were arrested and booked into Jackson County Detention Center on Monday and have each been charged with promoting human trafficking.

Authorities are unconvinced by the couple's cop-out and said they received evidence from Davis's sister-in-law who produced screenshots and a recorded conversation that shows the couple allegedly agreed to sell their twin daughters to her for $5,000, according to police documents.

Both Davis and Keith are being held in jail on a $10,000 bond and will appear in district court on Monday, March 25.

Davis and Keith reportedly told authorities they had agreed to sell the kids, but they never really intended to.

While behind bars, Davis claimed the offer was a joke that was not meant to be taken seriously, per the Daily Mail.

"She said, 'I give you five grand.' I said, 'ha, ha, yeah, you can have my kids for five grand,'" said Davis.

Keith defended the couple's actions in a separate interview and said: "Hopefully, they will see the mess that is going on, and we don't have to do prison time for something we didn't do."

She claimed to authorities that her husband's relative had allegedly manipulated him into giving her permission to keep the babies, according to police documents.

Chief Deputy Zachary Bryant of the Jackson County Sheriff's Office told WKYT that this was the first time he had given out charges related to human trafficking in the small Kentucky county that has a population of just around 13,000 people.

"Fortunately, this is the first time I've ever had to charge this, and hopefully I never have to charge it again," said Bryant.

Authorities said that the couple's five children have been taken into custody by social services.