If someone goes online and collects free items with adds such as desperately looking for playpen for my 2 year old and also post other ones in the same manner but then turns around and sells the items is this Theft by deception and can there be charges pressed

No, sorry. It's unethical but not illegal.
I never believe such ads unless there is a community-wide knowledge of what is going on, such as a fire, or terminal illness, or a death, and donations are accepted by a third party.
I'm sorry this happened.
Feel free to post 'beware' ads.

It isn't "theft" because it wasn't taken per se. Morally, well not exactly a nice thing to do. I sometimes find things in Goodwill or even discarded and out for trash pickup and then sell them on Craigslist or EBay.