A woman accused of leaving her newborn baby close to an Orlando apartment complex last year is pregnant again, according to state officials.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that police began a large-scale search for Susan Richardson in February 2016, after she gave birth to her baby girl and left her close to the Willow Bend apartment complex in Orlando. The baby girl was named “Willow” after the apartment complex, but was never found. The suspect was captured when she called the Orlando Fire Department and told them she was three to four months pregnant and had a miscarriage. Yet, a witness found the placenta near the apartment, and investigators determined that the placenta came from someone who was near full-term.
Florida woman accused of abandoning 'Baby Willow' pregnant again, officials say https://t.co/h4YK6xZErh pic.twitter.com/OXH6N2c0Kf
— AJC (@ajc) February 25, 2017
When presented with the new information, Susan said she gave birth to a baby and left her on a doorstep at the apartment complex. She was subsequently arrested.
Susan was released from jail in November, after she pleaded “guilty” to child desertion and neglect. Since then, she’s been living in the Orlando area with her boyfriend, Johnnie Bryant. She had a number of requirements to follow after her jail release, including no unsupervised with her other children.
Mother convicted of deserting #BabyWillow last year is PREGNANT again. Why authorities can't intervene ONLY on #WFTVat6 pic.twitter.com/C7XSo4Pruo
— Janine Reyes (@JReyesWFTV) February 24, 2017
In January, authorities learned that Susan violated her probation by visiting her children unsupervised. They also learned that she was pregnant again. The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF), however, can’t do anything regarding her latest pregnancy.
“Currently, unborn children have no rights, so the government cannot step in and order her to do certain things for the well being of the unborn child,” Channel 9 legal analyst Belvin Perry said.
Bryant was contacted for questioning, but he wouldn’t reveal whether he was the father of the unborn child.
Florida DCF sent a reminder to the public that if anyone sees a baby abandoned, Florida law requires that they need to report it to authorities immediately.
“Any individual who is concerned about the safety of a child upon his or her birth (or at any time) is required to call the Florida Abuse Hotline, including medical personnel who are professionally-mandated reporters.”
[Feature Photo: Orlando PD]
