TN - Boy, 2, abandoned with note at Goodwill drop-off in Mississippi, 14 Dec 2020 *arrest*

[bears10]

Names Initialed by me.
Woman Who Claims to Be Abandoned Boy's Mom Says He Was Taken by Man Who Tried to Prostitute Her
''The woman, Antoinette S., said she had no intention of leaving the child, whom she identified as S., according to a Facebook Live interview she gave over the phone to an activist from the woman's hometown of Memphis, reports Memphis TV station WREG.

S.said that on Sunday,she had traveled from Memphis to Nashville with a male acquaintance, leaving the child behind in Memphis with someone that she believed to be the man's sister. She said the man — whom she did not name — later revealed that the "sister" was actually his girlfriend.

“If I knew that, I said I wouldn’t have left my baby like that," Smith said.

She claimed the man, whom she did not identify, then left her at a Nashville store after she refused his demand that she work for him.

“He was like, ‘You better get out there and [prostitute]’ and all that type of stuff," she said. "I told him, ‘I’m not doing nothing.'"

she had traveled from Memphis to Nashville with a male acquaintance, leaving the child behind in Memphis with someone that she believed to be the man's sister. She said the man — whom she did not name — later revealed that the "sister" was actually his girlfriend.​

“If I knew that, I said I wouldn’t have left my baby like that," Smith said.
​

So she was fine leaving her baby with a stranger, as long as it was her acquaintances sister and not his girlfriend? Mom obviously didn’t know the woman from a hole in the wall, so why the hell would she leave her kid with her? I’m not sold on this story.

 

[oceanstarryeyes]

She claimed the man, whom she did not identify, then left her at a Nashville store after she refused his demand that she work for him.

Did she owe him money?
Either way the child is better off where he is now.

 

[Filly]

she had traveled from Memphis to Nashville with a male acquaintance, leaving the child behind in Memphis with someone that she believed to be the man's sister. She said the man — whom she did not name — later revealed that the "sister" was actually his girlfriend.​

“If I knew that, I said I wouldn’t have left my baby like that," Smith said.
​

So she was fine leaving her baby with a stranger, as long as it was her acquaintances sister and not his girlfriend? Mom obviously didn’t know the woman from a hole in the wall, so why the hell would she leave her kid with her? I’m not sold on this story.

We think alike!.Then again people do crazy
Stuff!

I'm counting on baby boy up the road to get the story out. Man, he is cute, and dressed all match. Adorable. JMO he doesn't.look sad, but.pi##ed.

 

[gitana1]

Abandoned child highlights need for people to adopt in the Mid-South
''SOUTHAVEN, Miss. — It was just another Monday for Rico Smith as he made his rounds to Goodwill locations across Mississippi until he saw dozens of police officers at the Goodwill donation center on Stateline Road.
“Some of the officers had tears in their eyes, I had tears in my eyes. It was kind of painful,” said Smith.'''
“He had on some nice clothes, but not enough clothes for that weather. And that hurt too,” said Smith.''
''This story is inspiring people to adopt children.
If you’re interested in adopting. Visit the links below.''
Youth Villages: The Force for Families
Mississippi Heart Gallery | MDCPS

Offers ‘overflowing’ across country to foster, adopt child left at Goodwill drop-off in Mississippi

''Phones started ringing with offers of fostering and even adopting a 2-year-old abandoned at a Goodwill drop-off in Southaven, Mississippi only minutes after the story hit social media, according to the Mississippi Department of Child Protective Services.

In a press release, CPS said calls and emails came from places such as California, New York, Florida and even British Columbia with questions of how they could help the toddler.

“The overwhelming generosity of Americans is tangible in this scenario,” said MDCPS Commissioner Andrea Sanders.''

The response to this sweet boy’s plight is, indeed, indicative of who we are as Americans. This is the American spirit.

 

[SaguaroSpirit]

He looks like he has been unhappy for a long time. JMOO.

 

[mickey2942]

The response to this sweet boy’s plight is, indeed, indicative of who we are as Americans. This is the American spirit.

I want to put in a positive plug for foster parents here. We always hear the bad stuff. I have met some fantastic people who are foster parents, some are doing it for the money, but many truly care about children, and making a difference.

Hoping this little guy ends up in a great place for Christmas and has a wonderful life.

 

[MaryG12]

Poor little guy, I'm glad he is safe at least, it could have been much worse.

 

[kshultz06082]

It took courage to drop him off at Goodwill - a place known to help people, a place with several people around to assist- instead of just keeping him alone in a room continuously neglected or worse. The people who dropped him off are probably good people who are just not in a position to care for a child. IMO.

Came here to say this. I hope that this baby wasn't unwanted and that he was loved tremendously but his parents couldn't financially care for him. I am not caught up, so if this has been proven or disproven to be the case, I may not give so much of the benefit of the doubt, but for now, I will assume this is what happened.

These parents would be damned if they do and damned if they don't. People will be mad he was abandoned and mad if they kept him and couldn't afford to feed him to the point of dying from starvation. For now, I just pray he was loved.

Jmo

 

[kshultz06082]

Woman says she mother and man tried to prostitute her and took her baby:

Woman Who Claims to Be Abandoned Boy's Mom Says He Was Taken by Man Who Tried to Prostitute Her

I am so grateful to see this. If true, atleast his mom didn't abandon him and I truly hope she has been a great mom with infinite love for this baby.

 

[bears10]

We think alike!.Then again people do crazy
Stuff!

I'm counting on baby boy up the road to get the story out. Man, he is cute, and dressed all match. Adorable. JMO he doesn't.look sad, but.pi##ed.

In another link she says -

“If I knew that I said I wouldn’t have left my baby like that. Ain’t no way I would have left my baby. That’s all I got with me,” said Smith.
​

But she DID leave him. With a stranger. What difference does it make if the stranger is the girlfriend or sister?? She left her kid with a stranger.

One of the thoughts in my head is if the moms story is true, why would they drop the boy off at goodwill with that note? Wouldn’t they want to just give the kid back to his mom and be done with her? They had nothing to gain from putting themselves in such a risky situation.

​

 

[Filly]

Mom talked to activist Barbara Buress an activist on Facebook live.

Sorry I can't link.

I got nuttin in this case. Like, what did she think she was going on a date with this guy?

There for the Grace of God go I!

 

[Filly]

Plus who knows what they did to that baby?

Just one pornographic photo of a toddler would make way moore money than her tricking.

Why did she not immediately go to police and say he dumped me here, and they kidnapped my baby in another State.

Way more to this IMO. Praying little guy is OK. These are some shifty, shady creeps.

 

[borndem]

There are many options for parents who are struggling to feed and care for babies. The problem is that one needs to work WITH the social workers and fill out paperwork, etc. It takes some effort.

There is emergency aid to families with children available to everyone. But if someone is drinking and using drugs heavily, it may be out of reach to them if they cannot take the steps to get the aid.

So some parents don't follow through and take advantage of the programs available.

Good post, katy, you said it. Exactly what you said is what we see nearly every day. Just lost, lost, lost.
There are so many cracks for these folks to fall through, that the parent or the child(ren) or all of them just fall right through and are lost. SMH.
Some folks don't know what to do or where to go. Some are afraid to go. Some don't have a way to get there. Some have a criminal record and are afraid to go. Some have a partner who -- by whatever means necessary -- won't let them go. Some are drug or alcohol addicts and/or just don't give a damm.
It has to get better, but when? How?

Here ends my familiar mini-rant.

 

[borndem]

Maybe. But the man looks Caucasian and the woman looks to have lighter skin. Neither are as dark as the baby. I’m thinking these may not be the parents.

bbm
I was wondering the same. Is there more to this story?

I like your avatar, Gypsy Girl!

 

[cuffem]

Fitzgerald attempted to extract money from the Aunt of the child for his return.
Two charged with kidnapping in case of 2-year-old left at Goodwill | myfox8.com

 

[dotr]

Scary looking dude, wondering if this is the first time he has (allegedly)tried to pull off something like this? imo.
Two charged with kidnapping in case of boy left at Mississippi Goodwill

Jeremy Fitzgerald

 

[cuffem]

Did she owe him money?
Either way the child is better off where he is now.

Trying to prostitute the mother and extract money from the Aunt for the boys safe return, it is possible the mother did owe him money. Not blaming her.
Two charged with kidnapping in case of 2-year-old left at Goodwill | myfox8.com
Or Fitzgerald was desperate for money and saw an opportunity to take advantage of the mother.

 

[borndem]

Whew! LE got on that one fast -- so good to see. Wham! And Slammer!
Now the question: What will happen with Mom and her son? Hoping Child Services (I don't know the correct name) will have/take the time to investigate this thoroughly. SMH.

 

[Knox]

What a crazy story. I'm thankful the little guy is safe now and CPS is involved to make sure he is never left with strangers again.

 

[Alethea]

I want to put in a positive plug for foster parents here. We always hear the bad stuff. I have met some fantastic people who are foster parents, some are doing it for the money, but many truly care about children, and making a difference.

Hoping this little guy ends up in a great place for Christmas and has a wonderful life.

Completely agree. I think we need to make it easier for parents to relinquish their parental rights and foster parents to adopt the children they foster. We see so many cases of kids in and our of foster care because we give parents so many chances. If someone does not want to be parent, or cannot take care of a child, we should have a straightforward avenue like we do for adoption at birth.