Morris County Democrats are claiming Heather Darling, the Republican nominee for county surrogate, is to push people to sell their children.

That isn’t the case. She wants to increase awareness for adoption-aid services offered by the county.

“Expecting parents that do not believe they can handle a child, or more children, are often confused and emotional and don’t know where to go for information about adoption,” Darling said. “They also may be unaware that they can be reimbursed for medical expenses, their time, lost work and other associated expenses.”

The incident started when a tracker captured comments Darling made in front of a branch at the NAACP.

“Adoption isn’t free. When you bring a child into the world for a family, there’s money that comes with that,” Darling said at the NAACP event. “So now this family can fix the roof, get the mortgage current and keep the three kids that they have. This child gets a life that it would not have had, and this other family gets a child that they desperately wanted.”

Morris County Democrats called her a “baby broker” over those comments.

“Although the Surrogate’s Office has no actual function in the adoption process itself other than facilitating it, I intend to increase the awareness of our services as well as making the process more affordable for all involved,” Darling said. “Unfortunately, not all expecting parents feel they are in the financial or lifestyle position to raise a child, and they deserve to know all their options in order to make the best decision for both themselves and their unborn or young child.”

Darling, who won a close GOP primary against Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll (R-Morris Township), now faces Democrat Michael Thompson in the general election.