PORT ORANGE, Fla. — (AP) - Police say an 81-year-old attempted to buy an 8-year-old girl from her mother for $200,000 at a Florida Walmart.
WKMG-TV reports Port Orange police say 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.
"It seemed like a friendly conversation," Nigh told WKMG. "He didn't seem like a threat at first."
"The first amount was $100,000, the second amount was $150,000 and then the final amount was $200,000. I then said 'No, we have to go.'"
Nigh says she got up to leave but Kolb grabbed her daughter and kissed her wrist. An arrest report says 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.
It's unclear if Kolb has a lawyer.
