TX TX - Loretta Norwood, abandoned Baby Boy, 6 - 12 months, on doorstep of paternal grandparents, 8400 block Winthrop Ln, Houston, 21 Mar 2024

[Vaderman]

Is it just me, or does info from the article make it sound like she was being coerced into doing this by the man in a sedan?

]Surveillance video shows a person police believe is Norwood, walking up to the home on Winthrop Lane in SE Houston with a car seat in hand. That was around 12:10 a.m. on March 21. You also hear the woman crying and talking to a man in a white sedan. She places the 8-month-old infant, strapped in his car seat, near the doorstep, gets back in the car, and drives off.

$5K reward to find Houston-area mother accused of abandoning baby boy on relative’s doorstep

The woman reportedly dropped her baby off on the doorstep of his paternal grandmother’s house and walked away, telling the infant’s father, “Your son outside, tell your mom to get him. Don’t leave your son outside.”

www.click2houston.com

 

[OrangeCash]

My honest feelings, good for her. There is nothing worse than babies and children being in the hands of adults who don't want them or are just mentally unable to properly care for them. I don't think she should be punished, just have her parental rights terminated, and make sure the baby is in a loving home.

I agree with you. This incident would be a great way of highlighting and educating what options parents have if they are thinking of giving up their child for whatever reason. Use this incident to inform and encourage people to seek help, not punish them and scare them into hiding in times of crisis.
We don't know the full details and the background of the incident, and if there are other crimes or abuse etc, then they should be addressed and punished. But I'm not so sure charging is the right thing to do here, even though she is in the wrong for not making sure the child was taken inside. Would there be a charge if she had made sure the baby was taken inside? Maybe this would be a different story altogether if she had
MOO

 

[otto]

Is it just me, or does info from the article make it sound like she was being coerced into doing this by the man in a sedan?

]Surveillance video shows a person police believe is Norwood, walking up to the home on Winthrop Lane in SE Houston with a car seat in hand. That was around 12:10 a.m. on March 21. You also hear the woman crying and talking to a man in a white sedan. She places the 8-month-old infant, strapped in his car seat, near the doorstep, gets back in the car, and drives off.

$5K reward to find Houston-area mother accused of abandoning baby boy on relative’s doorstep

The woman reportedly dropped her baby off on the doorstep of his paternal grandmother’s house and walked away, telling the infant’s father, “Your son outside, tell your mom to get him. Don’t leave your son outside.”

www.click2houston.com

That changes things. It sounds like the father didn't have DNA proof that he is the father, but his family knew 23 year old Loretta Faye Norwood and the infant, and they knew personal details about her. He has chosen abandoning a child without intent to return until there is DNA proof.

Who is in the white sedan, and why is she crying and talking to a man before she abandoned the baby. How do we know that she had no intent to return? Where is she?

Is this about an abandoned baby, or a missing woman?

"You also hear the woman crying and talking to a man in a white sedan. She places the 8-month-old infant, strapped in his car seat, near the doorstep, gets back in the car, and drives off.
...

After the DNA, you can get his papers. Better get your son from out because he there Halo.” Hailey told police he didn’t know if the baby was his and he didn’t see the text until 8 a.m."
...

Police picked up the baby and several family members identified him along with his mother. Those same family members told police that just two weeks earlier, Norwood posted bail on a robbery charge in Fort Bend County."

Link

 

[otto]

Do I understand this correctly ... she arrived with a man in a white sedan at the house of her alleged in-laws. She was crying while talking to the male driver, then she placed her 8 month old baby on the front steps of her alleged in-laws, and drove away with the man in the white sedan.

Forty minutes later she texted the alleged father that the baby was at his parent's house. Where were his parents that they didn't notice an infant on the front steps? Was the baby quietly sleeping?

Eight hours later, the father reads the text about the infant. Baby is safe.
Mother is charged with abandoning baby to alleged father's family.

$5000 Reward for information leading to Loretta Norwood. It sounds like she was last seen with a man in the white sedan. She was crying, she abandoned her infant, and no one has seen her since 12:10 a.m. on March 21?

 

[SMK777]

Honestly, I’m glad she dropped the baby off and texted someone rather than some of the awful cases we see on Websleuths w/parents killing their children. I do think she could’ve done a better job making sure someone could actually get the kid immediately.

Right: This may have been a bit risky, but it is far better and more responsible than abuse or murder, or leaving the child in a dumpster. Criminal intent is not really clear here IMO.

 

[DS2021]

Agree. I hope the fact that this woman is being charged with a crime doesn’t lead other desperate parents to abandon their kids in places where they are less likely to ge found, or turning to more awful alternatives

Thats my biggest fear

 

[DS2021]

Yikes!!

Texas Penal Code 22.041 - Abandoning or Endangering Child

The Texas law against abandoning or endangering a child includes two distinct offenses: (1) abandoning a child under 15 occurs when a person who must legally care for a child leaves that child in any place where the child would be exposed to harm; (2) endangering a child occurs when a person...

www.dwilawyerstexas.com

Tex. Penal Code § 22.041. ABANDONING OR ENDANGERING A CHILD.

(b) A person commits an offense if, having custody, care, or control of a child younger than 15 years, he intentionally abandons the child in any place under circumstances that expose the child to an unreasonable risk of harm.

(c) A person commits an offense if he intentionally, knowingly, recklessly, or with criminal negligence, by act or omission, engages in conduct that places a child younger than 15 years in imminent danger of death, bodily injury, or physical or mental impairment.

(d) Except as provided by Subsection (e), an offense under Subsection (b) is:

(1) a state jail felony if the actor abandoned the child with intent to return for the child; or

(2) a felony of the third degree if the actor abandoned the child without intent to return for the child.

(e) An offense under Subsection (b) is a felony of the second degree if the actor abandons the child under circumstances that a reasonable person would believe would place the child in imminent danger of death, bodily injury, or physical or mental impairment.

(f) An offense under Subsection (c) is a state jail felony.

(g) It is a defense to prosecution under Subsection (c) that the act or omission enables the child to practice for or participate in an organized athletic event and that appropriate safety equipment and procedures are employed in the event.

(h) It is an exception to the application of this section that the actor voluntarily delivered the child to a designated emergency infant care provider under Section 262.302, Family Code.

So shes facing, a 3rd degree felony, right?

Third degree felony abandoning a child with no intent to return carries between two and ten years in prison, and up to a $10,000 fine. Abandoning a child in a dangerous environment, a second degree felony, is punishable by two to 20 years in prison, and up to a $10,000 fine.

 

[caradana]

MOO: Texas has overcharged here here. She’s not perfect and probably not a woman I’d ever include in my personal circle of friends, and she obviously should’ve ensured this little guy made it safely into the in-laws’ house or to any Safe Haven. That said, a felony will destroy her life for decades and the father of this baby owns some accountability for the road that led here. I realize others will disagree, that’s cool.

 

[charminglane]

Is she in a relationship with the guy in the white sedan and he doesn't want some other dudes child around?

 

[SMK777]

MOO: Texas has overcharged here here. She’s not perfect and probably not a woman I’d ever include in my personal circle of friends, and she obviously should’ve ensured this little guy made it safely into the in-laws’ house or to any Safe Haven. That said, a felony will destroy her life for decades and the father of this baby owns some accountability for the road that led here. I realize others will disagree, that’s cool.

I agree fully with you, for what it’s worth.

 

[SMK777]

Thats my biggest fear

And it’s a realistic one. She could have done far worse things to be free of the child.

 

[Beachlife926]

Right: This may have been a bit risky, but it is far better and more responsible than abuse or murder, or leaving the child in a dumpster. Criminal intent is not really clear here IMO.

 

[Vaderman]

Is she in a relationship with the guy in the white sedan and he doesn't want some other dudes child around?

That's exactly where my mind went when I first read the article.

 

[Happypetitvieux01]

So, the baby was outside alone for 8 hours!!

Guy says he didn’t see text til 8am?!?!

"According to Houston police, someone at a home in the 8400 block of Winthrop Lane called 911 around 6:24 a.m. and said someone left a baby in a car seat at the front door."

Baby abandoned on front doorstep in SE Houston identified, along with family

Someone called 911 Thursday morning saying the baby was left in a car seat at their front door.

www.click2houston.com

Later said was paternal grandmom who found him on the porch around 6:00 a.m.

‘Your son outside’: Warrant issued for woman who left her baby on his father’s family’s doorstep for hours overnight

The baby was left outside his paternal grandmother's porch gate alone for approximately 6 hours before she woke up, went outside, and noticed him.

www.click2houston.com

 

[x_files]

As much as this is so wrong, at least the baby is safe

Maybe, she felt overwhelmed, I'd prefer he is safe than he was harmed.

 

[x_files]

Is this a law that is exclusively for women? Imagine that men were charged with abandoning a child without intent to return? It sounds like the mother delivered the child to the father. How can that be a crime?

I'm curious when the law was put on the books. Prior to DNA proof a paternity, wasn't it rather common for men to abandon a child without intent to return?

Women seem to take the brunt of responsibility and yes, why isn't the father somewhat responsible?

 

[x_files]

My honest feelings, good for her. There is nothing worse than babies and children being in the hands of adults who don't want them or are just mentally unable to properly care for them. I don't think she should be punished, just have her parental rights terminated, and make sure the baby is in a loving home.

I don't think she should be punished with jail/prison but counseling/mental health treatment. It's better she dropped him off with his paternal family than harmed him or worse.
If women cannot find a safe way to deal with stress and mental illness the outcome can be much worse.

" You also hear the woman crying and talking to a man in a white sedan."
Maybe the man in the car gave her no choice and made threats to her or the baby.
There's more to this story.
Maybe dropping him off was mercy. The other outcomes could be 100 times worse.
Do we know if the bio dad or grandparents agreed to take him and then changed their minds at the last minute? Refused to answer the door, or respond to text messages? $5K reward to find Houston-area mother accused of abandoning baby boy on relative’s doorstep

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

Is she in a relationship with the guy in the white sedan and he doesn't want some other dudes child around?

If police can't find her, how do we know she isn't in danger herself?

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

I don't think she should be punished with jail/prison but counseling/mental health treatment. It's better she dropped him off with his paternal family than harmed him or worse.
If women cannot find a safe way to deal with stress and mental illness the outcome can be much worse.

Unless I've missed something, there's no indication of mental illness here.

 

[x_files]

Unless I've missed something, there's no indication of mental illness here.

Until they talk to her, how would we know?

" You also hear the woman crying and talking to a man in a white sedan."
sounds like this wasn't an easy decision or was forced to do this by the guy in the white sedan.