The listing was swiftly removed by eBay within 30 minutes and reported

Maria's family is now being questioned and the baby taken into care

A newborn baby, called Maria, was posted on eBay as being 'for sale'

The migrant father who put his baby up for sale on eBay in Germany has been banned from having any unsupervised contact with the six-week-old girl.

The newborn, named Maria, was offered up on the online auction site and has now been taken in by a special care unit in Duisburg in the Western German state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

A family court in the city ordered the baby's mother move to the unit with her and the father is only allowed to see them under strict supervision guidelines.

Police are investigating reports that a one-month-old baby girl was put up 'for sale' on eBay (pictured) - the post read: 'Child, 40 days old named Maria... for sale'

Maria was listed with a starting price of €5,000 with the caption: 'Child, 40 days old named Maria… for sale.'

Her father, 28, who recently moved to Germany as a refugee, handed himself in to police and the baby was taken into care while a decision is made on whether or not the family will face criminal charges.

The listing was taken down by eBay within 30 minutes and the man eventually handed himself in to police.

It stated Maria lives in the city of Duisburg in western Germany's state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

The seller included photographs of dark-haired Maria wearing a variety of sleep suits.

Prosecutors are now investigating whether or not the man will face charges after he tried to claim that he had not meant the ad seriously.

But officers are not convinced, and a spokesman added that once the investigation was complete, a decision will be taken on whether to charge him.

Klaus Moennicks, 70, the chairman of the Christian-Democratic Union of the Rheinhausen district of Duisburg where the family lives, said: 'I am of the opinion that this must have legal consequences.

'If the parents believe that they cannot provide the child with proper care, we have the possibility in Germany to give the child up for adoption or to give it to a foster family.'

Her father, who recently moved to Germany as a refugee, handed himself in to police and the baby was taken into care while a decision is made on whether or not the family will face criminal charges.

Local politicians think there should be consequences for the father of the child regardless of whether he was serious or not.

Klaus Moennicks, 70, the chairman of the Christian-Democratic Union of the Rheinhausen district of Duisburg where the family lives, said: 'I am of the opinion that this must have legal consequences.

'If the parents believe that they cannot provide the child with proper care, we have the possibility in Germany to give the child up for adoption or to give it to a foster family.'

Moennicks added that 'selling a baby and human trafficking are absolutely the wrong way'.

eBay removed the post within 30 minutes of it being uploaded, but the pictures went viral around the world on social media and internet forums

According to the youth services of the city of Duisburg, one-month-old Maria's health is surprisingly good.

In a statement, they wrote that the baby is 'given the circumstances, physically well'.

A spokesman said: 'This has also been confirmed by the medical authorities.

'The child is currently housed in a nursing family, where she will remain until the whole situation is clarified.'

'The parents are currently are currently under the watch of social services.