Philippine officials have arrested an American woman for attempting to carry a 6-day-old baby out of the country hidden inside a shoulder bag.

Axar.az reports citing ABC News that the National Bureau of Investigation says 43-year-old Jennifer Talbot from Ohio was able to pass through the Manila airport immigration counter on Wednesday without declaring the baby but was intercepted at the boarding gate by airline personnel.

The bureau said in a statement Thursday that Talbot presented an affidavit, allegedly from the baby's mother, giving consent for the baby to travel to the U.S., but it had not been signed by the mother.

It said no government travel approval had been issued for the baby. Talbot was charged with human trafficking.

Officials are searching for the baby's parents, who have been charged under a child protection law.