A woman is facing charges after she allegedly gave her newborn to a stranger she encountered while walking down the street.
25-year-old Yessenia Cardenas is from Corpus Christi. She recently became the new mother of a daughter.
At approximately 10:30 PM on March 20, Cardenas was reportedly walking around with her child, who was 12-days old at the time.
As Cardenas wandered around, she allegedly asked strangers she walked past if they would take her baby.
A woman driving a truck in the area where Cardenas was walking with the infant said she saw the mother and child and thought it appeared as if something was wrong. The woman said she wanted to make sure things were okay, so she stopped to ask the mother if she needed any assistance.
According to the woman, Cardenas explained that she had smoked marijuana and she was unsure of when she last fed the baby. She also reportedly told the woman that she had fled from someone’s home.
It was reported that when Cardenas tried to pass the baby to the woman, she accepted possession of the child and immediately notified 911.
Officers with the Corpus Christi Police Department were dispatched, and when they arrived at the scene, they talked to Cardenas and the woman who called for help.
The police reported that Cardenas showed indications of being under the influence of a substance, so they called EMTs to the scene.
After Cardenas was checked by the medics, she was placed under arrest. It is expected that she will face felony charges for abandoning or endangering a child.
Child Protective Services was notified about the situation, and they took custody of the baby.
Texas’ Safe Haven (aka Baby Moses Law) allows new mothers to drop off their babies at safe sites such as hospitals and fire departments for the first 60 days after delivery without the threat of legal repercussions, but it is safe to assume that not everyone knows about this.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a criminal offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.