A Texas mother who allegedly abandoned her baby outside in the middle of the night with no plans to return is now facing criminal charges and is wanted by police, KPRC-TV reports.
Around 12:10 a.m. on March 21, a security camera recorded a woman walking up to a residence on Winthrop Lane in southeast Houston holding a car seat. The woman can be heard crying and speaking with a man, who was in a white car.
The recording shows the woman putting the car seat, which contained an 8-month-old baby boy, near a door to the house before returning to her vehicle and leaving. Authorities say they believe that woman was 23-year-old Loretta Faye Norwood, who now faces a charge of abandoning a child without intent to return.
Approximately 40 minutes after leaving the child at the door, Norwood allegedly sent a text message to the father of the child, Ismail “Halo” Hailey, which read: “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,” according to KPRC-TV.
Hailey reportedly did not see the text message until around 8 a.m. that morning. He told police he did not know whether the baby was his or not.
The owner of the home is reportedly a relative of the baby. When the owner went outside around 6 a.m., they saw the child and called police, according to Fox 26.
The child was examined at a hospital and was reported to be in good health. He is now in the care of a foster family.
A $5,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to the arrest of Norwood. To report information about her or her location, call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS or visit www.crime-stoppers.org.
Under Texas’ safe haven law, a parent who is not able to care for their child may legally give them up under certain circumstances.
Among the requirements: The child must be 60 days old or younger and the baby must be brought to a hospital, fire station or emergency medical services facility. The parent must tell an employee who works at one of those locations that they want to leave the baby there, according to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.
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[Feature Photo: Loretta Faye Norwood/Crime Stoppers]
