Police Say Woman Delivers, Abandons Baby In Wash Behind Santa Clarita CVS
SANTA CLARITA (CBSLA.com) — A woman gave birth in a wash and abandoned the baby in Santa Clarita early Monday, sheriff's officials report.
A man who happened upon the mother and newborn called 911 around 5:50 a.m., according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
Officials say the mother ran away before deputies arrived, leaving the man with the infant.
Deputies say they searched the area, near Via Princessa and Whites Canyon Road, and quickly found the mother nearby.
The baby and mother were taken to the hospital and said to be in good condition.
"I think it's very hard for any woman, because babies are hard," Santa Clarita resident Inez Estrada said.
A man who lives nearby told CBS2/KCAL9's Kara Finnstrom that the woman who gave birth had been sleeping in an encampment and had been deeply troubled by her pregnancy.
This was the second close call for an abandoned newborn in Los Angeles County. Last Tuesday, a man found a baby boy abandoned in a stroller outside a church in South L.A. The mother was found and arrested, and will face child endangerment charges.
Deputies say it's unclear if the mother who gave birth in Santa Clarita will be charged.
Officials say the Safe Surrender program was created so new mothers in crisis would have a safe and legal alternative. Under the program, a parent or guardian can leave a child up to three days old at any fire station or hospital.