FL FL - search for caregivers of 1-week-old baby boy found in a car seat in residential driveway on Lido St near Executive Airport, Orlando, 28 Jul 2025

[GraceG]

So many variables legally:
Does the father know of the child?
Does she know the identify of the father? (sorry, but always a possibily, pregnancy coudl have been unplanned with unknown party or the result of rape)
If she documented (resident legal alien or citizenship pending), or not?

Once THAT is resolved, then it's a matter of would the child be safe in her care if she were to be deported and she wished the child to remain with her. Not going to be a winning situation for anyone - but I hope that ultimately the child's best interests remain first and foremost in everyone's decisions.

 

[Inthedetails]

So many variables legally:
Does the father know of the child?
Does she know the identify of the father? (sorry, but always a possibily, pregnancy coudl have been unplanned with unknown party or the result of rape)
If she documented (resident legal alien or citizenship pending), or not?

Once THAT is resolved, then it's a matter of would the child be safe in her care if she were to be deported and she wished the child to remain with her. Not going to be a winning situation for anyone - but I hope that ultimately the child's best interests remain first and foremost in everyone's decisions.

I agree with step 1 - see if the father is a known person.

But if he can't be found, I hope they let the mom's original decision stand, provided she made the decision willingly.

The baby has been abandoned. Proceed however these matters are usually handled, I'm assuming through foster care and then adoption. I am assuming that is what the mother intended.

jmopinion

 

[Unalienable Rights]

So the US will let the child go with the deported mother even though the mother is facing child neglect charges?

That was not an official statement. It is the opinion of an attorney who is not related to the case.

 

[Unalienable Rights]

This is so incredibly sad. She didn't harm the baby. My word.

Thank God the baby is safe. It could have ended very differently. He was left on the property of a stranger on a record heat day. When he was found early in the morning, the temperature was already over 90 F.

 

[TMich6811]

This is so incredibly sad. She didn't harm the baby. My word.

As previous poster said this could have ended very badly and that baby is incredible lucky, this is absolutely neglect and abandonment and while I am respectful of circumstances, there were safe options that weren’t the way this was handled

 

[minneolo]

I imagine there will be much more to be understood about this case.

We know that mom is young (19), that ICE is involved, and that baby is safe. Lots of room still for more information on these circumstances.

While there are certainly safer choices than leaving baby in a driveway, I can imagine being very, very scared of the possibility of my newborn being detained by ICE

 

[PayrollNerd]

I wonder if she knew she was on ICE radar, but hid until she gave birth, to ensure the baby’s citizenship.

Willingly deporting maintains her right to reapply for entry legally, correct? Thus the ability to return for her child, eventually.

Getting deported sacrifices that right, I think. Then she loses her ability to reapply for entry legally.

But…… now she’s busted. I also wished she would have taken the baby to a Safe Space. Perhaps even a good friend capable of caring for the child.

 

[Inthedetails]

I imagine there will be much more to be understood about this case.

We know that mom is young (19), that ICE is involved, and that baby is safe. Lots of room still for more information on these circumstances.

While there are certainly safer choices than leaving baby in a driveway, I can imagine being very, very scared of the possibility of my newborn being detained by ICE

Yes. IMO, here are times when it's okay to show mercy and not insist on punishing because something wasn't perfectly done.

The mother saved her child when her own status is very uncertain. The whole ordeal, I'm sure, is punishing enough for those who insist on punishment.

In my opinion, she gave up the child. The decision is done. Let that be the starting point of finding the baby an adoptive home.

This could've been a thread on WS for a deceased newborn, and it seems overly obvious to say I'm grateful it's not.

jmopinion

 

[starlightstarbright]

I wonder if she knew she was on ICE radar, but hid until she gave birth, to ensure the baby’s citizenship.

Willingly deporting maintains her right to reapply for entry legally, correct? Thus the ability to return for her child, eventually.

Getting deported sacrifices that right, I think. Then she loses her ability to reapply for entry legally.

But…… now she’s busted. I also wished she would have taken the baby to a Safe Space. Perhaps even a good friend capable of caring for the child.

I wonder if it was giving birth which flagged her up to some sort of official - maybe not having health insurance, Medicaid, any documentation of prenatal care, a driver’s license or passport she could show at hospital. Someone found it suspicious and called it in or she thought they keep did and panicked. 1 week postpartum is a really key time for onset of postpartum anxiety as well, which could have factored into all of the above. Obviously, she wasn’t wrong about ICE as they are investigating her.

 

[Stunned]

Such a tragedy, anyway you look at it!

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

Thank God the baby is safe. It could have ended very differently. He was left on the property of a stranger on a record heat day. When he was found early in the morning, the temperature was already over 90 F.

Yes, thank God the baby is safe. I'm going to wait for further information before I vote to punish the mom. MOO.

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

As previous poster said this could have ended very badly and that baby is incredible lucky, this is absolutely neglect and abandonment and while I am respectful of circumstances, there were safe options that weren’t the way this was handled

I'm waiting for more information. We don't know how long the baby was there. She could have been right there, watching from a bush for all we know. Regardless, it's a sad story and I'm glad the baby is safe and a US citizen.

MOO.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

I don't think she should be treated like a criminal for leaving the baby where he was likely to be found. Think of the alternatives some other mothers in her situation have chosen. If she ends up being deported, that would be "punishment" enough. People like her are usually just trying to survive and find a better life "in a new land."

 

[katydid23]

I don't think she should be treated like a criminal for leaving the baby where he was likely to be found. Think of the alternatives some other mothers in her situation have chosen. If she ends up being deported, that would be "punishment" enough. People like her are usually just trying to survive and find a better life "in a new land."

Right. How many threads here about newborns placed in trash cans or dumpsters or found in public bathroom stalls?

She at least tried to ensure that the child would be found that morning. IMO

 

[Lusitana]

I mean, is charging a desperate mother who left her baby to be found by someone the right move?

 

[Ontario Mom]

I mean, is charging a desperate mother who left her baby to be found by someone the right move?

If we leave emotion out of it, she did break the law by abandoning her baby.
However, it's cases like this that make us (rightfully) reconsider what matters most, following the letter of the law, or extending grace & compassion to the parties involved.

 

[Lusitana]

If we leave emotion out of it, she did break the law by abandoning her baby.
However, it's cases like this that make us (rightfully) reconsider what matters most, following the letter of the law, or extending grace & compassion to the parties involved.

Sure, but how does that help anyone or the situation?

 

[musicaljoke]

Sometimes it seems that we live in a cruel world of our own making. But it is good to see that most people here ask for kindness and mercy.

The kind thing would be to return the baby to its mother and provide the two of them with the support they need to make sure the mom is cared for and the baby has a safe and healthy start to life. If the mom needs help in navigating the immigration system, then surely there are folks in the community who can assist.

Tossing people into detention prisons is unspeakably cruel. How do we even allow in a civilized nation?

 

[Ontario Mom]

Sure, but how does that help anyone or the situation?

The particular circumstances of this mother's situation is a legal mess I'm not sure has any sort of simple solution. I tend to lean toward the side of holding people accountable when they break the law, unless there's some genuine, legit justification for why they did it.

I haven't read every link associated with this case but has the mother stated why she left her baby unattended in the driveway of this random house, and then ran away?

 

[KBlackRabbit]

As of now I’m giving her the benefit of the doubt. I think she was being or perceived she was being hunted because she was undocumented or even just has the wrong color of skin. If she even knew about Safe Haven at all she was probably afraid if she went to a hospital or fire station she would get turned in to ICE (there have been reports of hospitals turning people over to immigration) and left her child someplace where it would be found away from authorities. When some people are utterly desperate, they will hand a child over to a total stranger, “Save my baby.”