An 18-year-old woman from Texas faced a judge on Friday, charged with abandoning her newborn baby in a plastic bag inside a dumpster. Her bail has been set at $90,000.
Local news station ABC13 shared a video capturing baby Gabriel’s rescue. Emergency responders are seen gently removing the infant from a trash bag and wrapping him in warm blankets. The baby appeared alert and newly born, with damp hair, rosy skin, and an intact umbilical cord.
The apartment manager mentioned to reporters that the incident seemed to be connected to a nearby food truck.
Following the rescue, the baby was transported to a local hospital where officials reported he was “doing well.” He is currently under the care of Child Protective Services.
On Thursday, police disclosed to ABC13 that the teen accused was an employee at the taco truck and was being treated at a hospital.
Three Babies Abandoned in One Month
Houston has recently seen the abandonment of two other infants over the last few weeks.
Just hours before baby Gabriel was found, another baby was discovered in a car seat near a restaurant dumpster. The infant’s father was subsequently charged with family assault and child abandonment after calling 911, stating he was experiencing a mental health crisis and could not care for the child.
In another case last Wednesday, a 28-year-old woman was charged with abandoning or endangering a child. According to ABC13, police were called to a restaurant where they found an abandoned baby. The mother, later found about half a mile away and covered in blood, admitted she had just given birth.
Texas’ Safe Haven law, often known as the Baby Moses law, allows parents to leave their baby at designated safe locations, such as hospitals or fire stations, without facing abandonment or neglect charges. To be eligible, the baby must be less than 60 days old, unharmed, and handed over to an employee at these safe spots.