A young mum in America has been arrested after allegedly trying to sell her children on Facebook in order to bail her boyfriend out of jail. Misty VanHorn had been trying to get US$1,000 for her 4-year-old or US$4,000 for the toddler and her 10-month-old baby.

The State has now taken custody of the children.

Police say the 22-year-old tried to sell her children to an Arkansas woman through the social networking site. "Just come to Sallisaw, it's only 30 minutes away and I'll give you all of her stuff and let y'all have her forever for $1,000" she allegedly wrote via Facebook.

She was reportedly arrested by police after an acquaintance reported the situation to the US Department of Human Services.

She is now in jail on a complaint of trafficking children and is being held on a US$40,000 bond.

Neighbours said VanHorn had been going door to door trying to raise the $1,000 bond money to free her partner for days.