Texas Sees Sharp Rise in Infant Abandonment Cases

 Posted on January 15, 2025 in Criminal Defense

In the past year, at least 18 newborn babies have been found abandoned in Texas. This represents a drastic increase in cases from a decade ago when only seven babies were abandoned in one year. While Texas state law protects parents who safely surrender a baby less than 60 days old at designated safe haven sites, parents can face serious criminal charges for abandoning an infant in unsafe circumstances. If the infant is found alive and healthy, the parent who abandoned the baby can be charged with felony child abandonment. In very sad cases where an abandoned infant is found deceased or has been harmed, the parent can instead be charged with more serious offenses ranging from child abandonment to homicide. If you are concerned about facing charges for abandoning an infant, you need to speak with an experienced Houston, TX criminal defense lawyer.

Charges Brought Against Mothers for Infant Abandonment 

Depending on the circumstances of the abandonment and the outcome for the child, parents who abandon newborns might be charged with a number of serious offenses. When a newborn is found deceased, it is not always clear to law enforcement whether the baby died as a result of its abandonment or had died of natural or unnatural causes before being placed in the spot where he or she was ultimately found.

A few of the offenses Texas mothers have been charged with in connection with abandoning infants include: 

• Felony child abandonment - Abandoning a child without intent to return is a third-degree felony. If there is evidence suggesting that the defendant intended to return, she could instead be charged with a state jail felony. However, this is rare in abandoned newborn cases. Abandoning a child in circumstances where the child is likely to suffer physical or psychological harm is a second-degree felony that can carry many years of prison time. Unless a newborn is left in a place where the baby will immediately be noticed and helped, there is often a substantial risk of harm to abandoned infants. 
• Felony child endangerment - Unless a newborn is surrendered safely, being abandoned is inherently dangerous for newborns. Babies have a very limited window of time to be found and helped after being abandoned by a caregiver. 
• Homicide offenses - In the worst cases where an infant is found deceased, there is a strong chance that the mother will be charged with homicide if it appears that the infant may have been alive when he or she was abandoned. It often takes significant forensic evidence to show whether the child may have been stillborn or died of natural causes beyond the parent’s control. 

Contact a Houston, TX Criminal Defense Attorney

Murphy & McKinney Law Firm, P.C. is experienced in taking on unique and high-profile criminal defense cases. Experienced Harris County, TX child abandonment attorney Doug Murphy will fight for you. Contact us at 713-229-8333 for a complimentary consultation.