TX TX - Loretta Norwood, abandoned Baby Boy, 6 - 12 months, on doorstep of paternal grandparents, 8400 block Winthrop Ln, Houston, 21 Mar 2024

[Unalienable Rights]

https://www.fox26houston.com/news/infant-boy-found-abandoned-in-car-seat-in-southeast-houston

HOUSTON - Houston police are searching for the parents of a 6-month-old to one-year-old boy who was found Thursday.

Baby abandoned on front doorstep in SE Houston identified, along with family

Someone called 911 Thursday morning saying the baby was left in a car seat at their front door.

www.click2houston.com

According to Houston police, someone at a home in the 8400 block of Winthrop Lane called 911 around 6:24 a.m. and said someone left a baby in a car seat at the front door.

At the time he was found, the baby was wearing a white and blue striped shirt and blue pants.

Officials say the child has two bottom teeth, weighs about 15 lbs, and has a medium brown complexion.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

*In the audio obtained bu KHOU, firefighters could be hears saying that "someone left a baby at these people's doorstep."

The child was found around 6 a.m. Thursday in a car seat on the doorstep of a residence. The people in the residence called the authorities and told police the baby wasn't theirs. He has two bottom teeth

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/trending/article/infant-one-year-old-less-found-southeast-houston-19351243.php

 

[ChatteringBirds]

What a little cutie. I hope his parent/guardian is okay. This isn't the best possible choice, but it worked out, and they could have made worse choices.

 

[Stunned]

Does the family that lives there have a son they might want to talk to?

 

[Unalienable Rights]

HPD identifies baby boy found abandoned in car seat in southeast Houston neighborhood

Houston police said they were able to identify the 9-month-old boy but weren't releasing his name or information about his parents.

www.khou.com

On Friday, HPD said they identified the infant but weren't releasing his name to the public or any information about who his parents are. The boy was placed in the custody of Child Protective Services, which said he was being evaluated at a hospital and was in good condition with a foster family.

Police are still searching for whoever is responsible for abandoning him.

 

[Knox]

HPD identifies baby boy found abandoned in car seat in southeast Houston neighborhood

Houston police said they were able to identify the 9-month-old boy but weren't releasing his name or information about his parents.

www.khou.com

On Friday, HPD said they identified the infant but weren't releasing his name to the public or any information about who his parents are. The boy was placed in the custody of Child Protective Services, which said he was being evaluated at a hospital and was in good condition with a foster family.

Police are still searching for whoever is responsible for abandoning him.

Well that's interesting ...

 

[Unalienable Rights]

Does the family that lives there have a son they might want to talk to?

You got that right!

‘Your son outside’: Warrant issued for woman who left her baby on his father’s family’s doorstep for hours overnight

The baby was left outside his paternal grandmother's porch gate alone for approximately 6 hours before she woke up, went outside, and noticed him.

www.click2houston.com

HOUSTON – Houston police are searching for a 24-year-old Harris County woman who they say abandoned her infant son on the doorstep of a home last week, and never returned to get him.

Court documents show that the suspect, Loretta Norwood, is being charged with one felony count of abandoning a child.

*****
Court documents show that the baby’s father, Ismael ‘Halo’ Hailey, told authorities that he had received a text message at 12:50 a.m. March 21 saying, “Your son outside, tell your mom to get him. Don’t leave your son outside. He is there. After the DNA, you can get his papers. Better get your son from out because he there Halo.”

Hailey told authorities that he was unsure if the baby was even his son, and that he did not see the text message sent at 12:50 a.m. until 8 a.m. later that morning.

****
More at link.

 

[tatertot]

There is no mention of any charges for the man seen on video driving the white car. At the very least he witnessed an infant being abandoned outdoors in March after midnight, and at worst he forced the mother to abandon the baby. She was on video crying and exchanging words with him, so she may have abandoned the baby under duress. Whether he was the mother's SO who didn't want the child around or just a cab driver, he knew exactly what he was doing when he drove away from that doorstep.

 

[BrownRice]

Does the family that lives there have a son they might want to talk to?

You solved this one!

 

[mst]

As much as this is so wrong, at least the baby is safe

 

[Clearsky]

$5K reward to find Houston-area mother accused of abandoning baby boy on relative’s doorstep

The woman reportedly dropped her baby off on the doorstep of his paternal grandmother’s house and walked away, telling the infant’s father, “Your son outside, tell your mom to get him. Don’t leave your son outside.”

www.click2houston.com

Loretta Faye Norwood, 23, is charged with abandoning a child without intent to return.

 

[TDoc72]

Honestly, I’m glad she dropped the baby off and texted someone rather than some of the awful cases we see on Websleuths w/parents killing their children. I do think she could’ve done a better job making sure someone could actually get the kid immediately.

 

[realanastasia]

Honestly, I’m glad she dropped the baby off and texted someone rather than some of the awful cases we see on Websleuths w/parents killing their children. I do think she could’ve done a better job making sure someone could actually get the kid immediately.

Agree. I hope the fact that this woman is being charged with a crime doesn’t lead other desperate parents to abandon their kids in places where they are less likely to ge found, or turning to more awful alternatives. I don’t expect she was aware of the Safe Haven laws that allow a person to drop off an infant without fear of punishment or judgement—apparently all 50 states of the U.S. have a Safe Haven-type law on their respective books. I see here that Texas’ version is called the “Baby Moses Law” (because OF COURSE it would be in Texas!) and it only applies to infants 60 days or younger, in good health/unharmed, and you ARE asked to provide medical and family history at drop-off…and I think it’s a scenario where you’re permanently forfeiting/terminating parental rights (as opposed to in other states, where a mother in crisis can drop off her young children to be safely cared for while she seeks help/tries to get to a state where she can provide a stable and healthy home for her children).
EDITED TO ADD: the Safe Haven/Baby Moses Law in TX wouldn’t have applied here because the baby was 8 months old. Not quite sure why TX thinks it is acceptable to give up a younger infant but if you can’t parent an infant who’s 61 days old or more, too bad (I know that very young infants are more frequently adopted than older infants and children, that’s probably why…but still, IMO, it’s an arbitrary cutoff and frankly unconscionable).

Explaining the Safe Haven law in Texas

If you have a newborn that you're unable to care for, you can bring your baby to a designated safe place with no questions asked.

abc13.com

 

[borndem]

She is in big trouble, but I agree with @TDoc72 -- at least she left the little one with the father's family. May the itty-bitty be loved by his relatives and lead a good life.

 

[Twick]

I’m sorry, if this is abandonment, why was the father not charged with the same before now? It’s his child too.

 

[maamager]

America litigates basic sexual education, makes sexual health & wellness largely inaccessible (especially against women), and resources for families/children are working a skeleton crew. I'm not excusing abandoning a child, just my own difficult feelings about seeing the range of outcomes that often happen with people who feel scared, helpless, or just downright disinterested in being a caregiver for whatever reason

 

[KooshBall]

My honest feelings, good for her. There is nothing worse than babies and children being in the hands of adults who don't want them or are just mentally unable to properly care for them. I don't think she should be punished, just have her parental rights terminated, and make sure the baby is in a loving home.

 

[JDG]

So, the baby was outside alone for 8 hours!!

Guy says he didn’t see text til 8am?!?!

 

[otto]

$5K reward to find Houston-area mother accused of abandoning baby boy on relative’s doorstep

The woman reportedly dropped her baby off on the doorstep of his paternal grandmother’s house and walked away, telling the infant’s father, “Your son outside, tell your mom to get him. Don’t leave your son outside.”

www.click2houston.com

Loretta Faye Norwood, 23, is charged with abandoning a child without intent to return.

View attachment 498433

Is this a law that is exclusively for women? Imagine that men were charged with abandoning a child without intent to return? It sounds like the mother delivered the child to the father. How can that be a crime?

I'm curious when the law was put on the books. Prior to DNA proof a paternity, wasn't it rather common for men to abandon a child without intent to return?

 

[otto]

So, the baby was outside alone for 8 hours!!

Guy says he didn’t see text til 8am?!?!

I don't think that's a good excuse. Anyone with a child should be prepared to receive, and respond to, messages from the other parent regardless of the time of day and the associated inconvenience. It sounds like the father abandoned his child as well - apparently having no knowledge of his child's circumstances while he was irresponsibly uncommunicative with the child's mother.

When was the last time the father looked after the child, or did he abandon the child to the mother? But the mother is not legally allowed to abandon the child to the father.