A California couple faces child endangerment charges after police say they tried to sell their six-month-old baby for $25 (€20) outside a Walmart store.

Salinas police spokesman, Lalo Villegas, said Patrick Fousek and Samantha Tomasini were arrested on Wednesday morning, hours after Fousek allegedly approached two women outside Walmart and asked if they'd like to purchase his child.

The women initially thought Fousek (38) was joking, but when he became persistent, they became suspicious and reported it to police.

Fousek, who is on probation, and Tomasini (20) were arrested at their home. Officers said the couple appeared high on methamphetamine and the house was in disarray.

The baby was taken into care and the couple were charged with endangering a child, attempting to abandon a child and being intoxicated.

Fousek, who was jailed for running a methamphetamine lab in 2006, received a further charge for violating the terms of his probation.