Girl, 5, Tied, Gagged, Sold, Court Is Told

RENO —  A 5-year-old girl was tied, gagged and spanked shortly before her mother and two others tried to sell her for $5,000 last week, according to court documents.

The child, Naomi Shasta Kroum, is quoted in the documents filed this week as saying that a white sock was stuffed in her mouth, her hands were tied and she was paddled by her mother, Brenda L. Hubbard, 20, and Michael R. Lund, 28.

Hubbard, Lund and Carolin L. Vaughn, 24, were arrested March 30 when they tried to sell the child to an undercover FBI agent at the Reno-Cannon International Airport.

Offer to Sell

Vaughn had telephoned Elly Kibbey of Tacoma, Wash., offering to sell the child. Kibbey and FBI Agent T. Trier, posing as her husband, flew to Reno, where the deal was made.

The three are held on charges of kidnaping, child abuse and receiving compensation for a child. Bail has been set at $100,000 for each,

The three, plus three children, had been living in a converted school bus. Vaughn, previously convicted of arson in Washington State, is also charged with being an ex-felon in possession of a .357-caliber Magnum and possession of cocaine and methamphetamine.

The suspects were arraigned in Justice Court and a preliminary hearing was scheduled for April 18 to determine whether there is enough evidence to hold them for trial.