Mom Charged With Throwing Baby Into Snow Bank
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A mom is charged with throwing her 18-day-old baby into a snow bank in Minneapolis.
Ashley Couch, 21, has been charged with child endangerment and child neglect after police said she threw her newborn in the snow over the weekend.
According to the criminal complaint, on March 5, 2011, a witness reported seeing Couch walking down the street, holding a newborn baby. The witness told police that he saw Couch arguing with a man, who was later determined to be the baby's father. The witness then said he saw Couch throw the baby into a snow bank.
The man said he called 911, picked the baby up, and then wrapped her in his jacket while he waited for police to arrive. He said the baby was only wearing a t-shirt and was cold and unresponsive when he picked her up. He had to rub the baby's chest for 10 seconds before the baby responded.
The child's father was upset and crying when officers arrived saying that Couch slammed their baby into the snow bank and yelling, "I can't believe you did that to my baby."
Couch told police that the child's father has taken money from her and fled the house. She admitted that she grabbed the baby, put it in a blanket, and then chased after him. She said that when she caught up to him, she pushed him and the baby fell out of her hands and into the snow bank.
The baby was treated for hypothermia and is now in protective custody.
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"I can't imagine any parent, who's healthy, cavalierly throwing a child in a snow bank" said Mike Freeman, Hennepin County Attorney. "Until this mother learns a whole lot of lessons about how to mother and respect, this child cannot and will not go back."
Freeman said the law favors biological parents, so it's considered likely that couch will eventually get the child back.
For now, Couch remains in custody at the Hennepin County Jail.
