Mom gives birth in bathroom during shift at McDonald’s, attempts to drown newborn in toilet

A mother faces up to four years behind bars after pleading no contest to criminal charges related to her attempt to drown a newborn baby during her shift at a California McDonald’s.

As CrimeOnline previously reported, 25-year-old Sarah Lockner was at work in September 2017 when coworkers say she complained of stomach pains.

One witness said there was blood on the bathroom floor and another told police she “saw a newborn baby face down in [a] toilet bowl,” as prosecutors argued.

Reports show a witness saw the mother’s hands on the baby’s back as he was in the toilet water.

Lockwood, now 26, entered a plea on Monday that will see her sentenced for a child endangerment conviction. She told police that she did not know she was pregnant until the day she gave birth at the Redwood City fast food restaurant, as reported by KPIX.

After one coworker heard the toilet flush and confronted Lockner, she reportedly requested witnesses not to contact police. One employee did call authorities, though, and officers arrived to find the baby unresponsive.

The newborn victim was transported to an area hospital where he was placed in a medically induced coma, according to police reports.

He survived what prosecutors initially intended to prosecute as an attempted murder. Lockner was able to enter into a plea agreement for the lesser count.

Sentencing in the case is set to take place in May and could land her in jail for four years.

[Featured image: Sarah Lockner, San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office]