Victoria police are still attempting to track down the person who posted a classified ad, offering a baby "free to a good home."

"We still are hoping that it was a hoax," said Const. Mike Russell, though  investigators haven't yet been able to confirm the post's validity.

The ad was originally posted to UsedVictoria, a Black Press-owned website, and 9:03 a.m. It was removed 25 minutes later by UsedVictoria moderators.

"Our terms of use outlines that we reserve the right to delete content deemed obscene, illegal, immoral, sexually explicit, or anything deemed not family friendly," said Erin Richards, marketing co-ordinator for UsedVictoria. "First and foremost, our concern is for the welfare of the child."

Victoria police got involved an hour later.

"We're still working on tracking down the IP address. We're still confident (the ad was posted) well outside our jurisdiction, but we haven't been able to narrow it down any further than that," Russell said.

He added that if the post was not a hoax, he wants to remind the parent that there are resources in the community that can provide assistance to new parents.

kslavin@saanichnews.com