Mom Tries To Drown Newborn Infant In Redwood City McDonald's Toilet, Prosecutors Say

REDWOOD CITY, CA — A California fast food worker is locked up on $11 million bail after she gave birth in a McDonald's bathroom and tried to drown the newborn in a toilet, according to prosecutors and jail records. The 25-year-old allegedly claimed she did not know she was pregnant, though prosecutors say they do not believe that claim. The child was delivered at or near full term.

Sarah Lockner was taken into custody on Sept. 4 after her Redwood City McDonald's co-workers called police, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office. Witnesses told authorities the woman had gone to the bathroom several times during her night shift, complaining of stomach pains.

One of those witnesses then went into the bathroom to check on Lockner and saw blood on the floor, which she claimed was due to a heavy period. Another co-worker looked over the wall of the bathroom stall and allegedly saw a baby face-down in the toilet, according to prosecutors.

"Our witness saw a hand on the back of the newborn pushing it into the water in the toilet," District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said Wednesday.

The witness subsequently heard the toilet flush after looking away, but it's not clear whether Lockner was attempting to flush the baby, according to Wagstaffe.

By the time paramedics and police got to the fast food eatery, the small child did not have a pulse and was not breathing. The baby boy was transported to a hospital and placed under a medically induced coma. He survived, but the long-term effects of the trauma are not yet known, according to prosecutors.

"What I was told by my team is that it was at or near full-term," Wagstaffe said. "They do not believe this was a premature delivery."

"(Lockner) said she didn't know she was pregnant," Wagstaffe said. "We don't believe that."

Lockner was arraigned Monday on charges of attempted murder and felony child endangerment and will return to court at 1:30 p.m. next Monday to enter a plea.

Her defense attorney, Jonathan McDougall, with San Mateo County's Private Defender Program, could not immediately be reached for comment.

Booking photo courtesy of San Mateo County Sheriff's Office / Bay City News Service contributed to this report