Essen (Germany) – A German court is due to decide on Thursday whether a baby girl who was offered for sale on the internet should be returned to her parents, who are under investigation on suspicion of human trafficking.

The baby was taken into care after her father admitted to posting an ad on eBay Kleinanzeigen, a popular online platform for buying and selling household items in Germany.

He offered her for sale at 5,000 Euros (5,500 dollars) on eBay Kleinanzeigen site.

The father initially denied posting the ad, but later admitted to the act, saying it had been intended as a joke.

According to the police, the family that posted the ad are refugees, without giving further details.

Report says the 2-month-old is currently being cared for by a foster family.