Mother Arrested On Unrelated Charge After Infant Found At Northport Walmart

NORTHPORT, AL — The mother of a four-month-old infant girl abandoned at the Walmart Supercenter in Northport Thursday has been charged for an outstanding warrant, with additional criminal charges pending.

The Northport Police Department says the mother — Bethany Joy Boothe, 37 — was interviewed Friday and taken into custody on an outstanding warrant for a traffic offense in Northport.

As Patch reported earlier Friday, Tuscaloosa resident Melissa A. Smith, 37, was arrested on drug charges after reportedly being the person who left the infant in a shopping cart near the jewelry section of the McFarland Boulevard store Thursday night.

NPD pointed out that Smith is an acquaintance of Boothe, before mentioning that the infant is healthy and currently in the custody of Alabama Department of Human Resources.

As Patch previously reported, the baby girl was in the care of Walmart employees inside the store when officers first arrived. As a precaution, the child was transported to an area hospital to be looked over, before she was released into the custody of the Alabama Department of Human Resources.

NPD Assistant Chief Keith Carpenter informed local media that an investigation found Smith had been pushing the shopping cart that the baby was found in.

Smith was arrested Friday and charged with unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, misdemeanor possession of marijuana, and felony possession of a controlled substance.

Smith's bond was set at $17,500.

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