Mother of Abandoned Infant Awaiting Trial on 26 Charges in Armed Robberies

The mother of a baby girl who allegedly left the infant in a child car seat beside a road was already in legal trouble, court records show, awaiting trial on 26 charges, including armed robbery, from holdups at a liquor store and convenience store.

Sandra Clara McClary, 26, of 423 Morrison Court in Baltimore, was charged Sunday afternoon with child neglect and reckless endangerment. Authorities say she left her nearly 3-month-old daughter along an Anne Arundel County, MD, road. A neighbor spotted the girl in a car seat, went to check, found the infant and called police.

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“We’re most fortunate that the child was not harmed and appears to be in good condition,” Lt. T.J. Smith of the Anne Arundel County Police Department said at a Sunday press conference. “We could have experienced a tragedy here this morning.”

He noted that Maryland has a safe haven law and parents who can’t care for their children can take them to a fire station, church or hospital.

Police say McClary called 911 about 10 a.m. claiming to be the mother of the abandoned child. News of the infant’s plight received widespread media attention throughout the day.

McClary said the infant’s father was supposed to have the child and she didn’t know where the man was. The woman also told dispatchers she did not know of the girl’s whereabouts.

The mother was taken to a police station, where she identified her daughter. Police say extra steps were taken to validate her claims that McClary is the mother of the child.

The child is now in the care of Social Services.

Mother’s Previous Arrest

This isn’t McClary’s first encounter with police. In September 2014 McClary and a Baltimore man were charged last year with 26 counts of robbery and other crimes for repeatedly targeting a liquor store and convenience store in Brooklyn Park, Maryland, Patch earlier reported.

Phillip Thomas McGowans and McClary were charged with armed robbery and related crimes for allegedly robbing The Village Liquor at 720 Church St. and Spencer’s One Stop Convenience Store at 4300 Richie Hwy. Authorities claimed McGowans and McClary robbed The Village Liquor Store twice last year. Detectives suspect they may have committed other area robberies, including other holdups at Village Liquor.

According to online court records, McClary’s trial on the store holdups has been delayed several times in the past year. She is now schedule to stand trial on that in September.

Tracking Baby’s Mother

During the investigation into the child’s abandonment, police obtained a partial tag from a vehicle located in the Pasadena, MD, area where the baby was located.

McClary reportedly told detectives that she was in the 900 block of Druid Hill Avenue, took the child from the vehicle and left her on the side of the road. That vehicle’s registration matched that of the partial tag that officers established had left the area around the time the baby was abandoned.

This is an ongoing investigation and there are additional people that investigators would like to speak with. If anyone was in the area or can provide additional information they can contact Detective Ringler at 410-222-4700.

»Photos of Sandra McClary, daughter, courtesy of Anne Arundel County Police