Santiago (Dominican Republic), May 1 (IANS/EFE): Dominican police are looking for a woman who sold her 8-month-old baby for 100,000 pesos ($2,500), authorities said Monday.

The child was recovered last Friday.

The spokesman for the northern regional police command, Col. Lorenzo Morillo, told EFE that the investigations are being handled by the Santiago provincial prosecutor's office.

The head of that office, Luisa Liranzo, refused to name either the woman who sold the baby or the one who bought it so as not to obstruct the investigation.

Santiago police officials revealed, however, that the woman who bought the infant said that she feels a great passion for children and that her only intention in buying the baby was to give it affection, motherly love and guarantee that it would be well brought up.

The child's mother, who lives in a poor neighbourhood in the town of Pekin, is being hunted by specialized units of the National Police.

The prosecutor's office had the baby sent to a temporary foster home until a decision is made on where its final home will be.