What to Know
- Newborn found wrapped in a T-shirt, abandoned in bushes at an apartment complex.
- The baby's mother is a juvenile and it's unclear if she'll face abandonment charges.
- Texas' Baby Moses law allows new parents the option of surrendering their unharmed child with no questions asked and no risk of criminal prosecution for abandonment.
An abandoned newborn boy found in the bushes outside an apartment complex Thursday morning in Waxahachie is in good condition and is now in the custody of Child Protective Services, police say.
Waxahachie Police said someone found the child in the bushes at the Bent Tree Townhomes on the 1700 block of South Interstate 35E at about 8:30 a.m. and called 911 to report the discovery.
Officers arrived at the scene and found the newborn baby boy wrapped in a T-shirt.
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TEEN PREGNANCY
The infant was taken to Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in Waxahachie where he was said to be in good condition. Custody of the baby was turned over to Child Protective Services.
The child's mother is a juvenile and has been located, police confirmed to NBC 5 Friday morning. It's not yet clear if the child's mother will face charges but investigators are said to be working with the Ellis County District Attorney to consider whether charges should be filed.
Texas law provides for safe haven locations where parents can drop off unwanted children and avoid abandonment charges.
Anyone with information to share is asked to contact investigators Jill Turner and Elizabeth Glidewell with the Waxahachie Police Department at 469-309-4400 or by email.
WHAT IS TEXAS' BABY MOSES SAFE HAVEN LAW?
Texas' Baby Moses Safe Haven law was signed into law in 1999 by then Gov. George Bush. The law allows a person the opportunity to voluntarily and safely surrender unharmed newborn babies and relinquish their parental rights with no questions asked.
Should a person have a child younger than 60 days old that they're unable to care for, the baby can be left with an employee at a designated safe place such as a hospital, fire station, free-standing emergency center, or emergency medical services (EMS) station.
If taking a baby to one of the "Safe Baby Sites," the caretaker is encouraged to leave the baby physically in the hands of a person and not outside and alone where someone may not immediately find and care for the child.
Parents who leave their children at a safe haven site with an employee will not be prosecuted or face criminal charges for abandonment or neglect and their identities will remain confidential. Employees may ask questions about family health history to assess the child's immediate needs for care.
Babies left at a fire or EMS station will be taken to a children's hospital to receive any medical attention they need.
ONLINE RESOURCES
Since 1999, there have been over 2,000 babies saved with the Safe Haven program. For more information, contact The Baby Safe Haven toll-free hotline is 1-888-510-BABY.
