A 20-year-old mother who tried to sell her baby online felt "nothing" when she handed him over to a buyer last year. The Pietermaritzburg Regional Court yesterday heard that the woman had interacted with the child in a "robotic" way.The woman has pleaded guilty to contravening the Human Trafficking Act in that she advertised the sale of her 19-month-old son on website Gumtree and then sold him for R5000 in a trap set by the police.Testifying for the state, clinical psychologist Prishika Pillay said the unemployed woman, who left school in 2011 when her family could not pay the fees, was advised by nurses to sing to or play with her child to create the maternal bond she lacked.In her plea explanation last year, the woman said one of her two boyfriends had paid child support until DNA tests revealed he was not the father.She claimed that he demanded a refund of R24000 so she put her child up for sale.Pillay testified yesterday that clinical assessments showed that the woman had a low intellectual and emotional potential, and that even her botched crime showed her "poor ability to solve problems in her life".She recommended that the woman be admitted to a mental health programme.However, reports from the probation officer and correctional supervisor said the accused woman "lies, is manipulative, selfish, emotionally blackmails and jokes about serious matters".The officers recommended a jail sentence and community service.Prosecutor Val Dafel said the young mother was capable and knowledgeable enough to place an advert twice on Gumtree."Gumtree is a place to sell things, not children."She sold her child to a complete stranger without giving it a second thought. She didn't even say goodbye to the child," she said.Sentencing is set down for April 1...