Police Arrest Mother Of Newborn Found Abandoned In Woods

SILVER SPRING, MD — The mother of a newborn baby girl found abandoned in the woods last month has been arrested, according to Montgomery County Police.

Authorities have identified the mother as 25-year-old Leticia Guzman, of Silver Spring. She is charged with child neglect and reckless endangerment for leaving her baby in a wooded area in Silver Spring, court records reveal.

Officials credit a passerby with finding the baby and calling for help. Authorities say it happened around 5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 16. He was walking in the 10000 block of Tenbrook Drive when he first heard a baby crying. He went to investigate the sound and found a naked baby about 10 feet from the sidewalk in the woods, police said.

Health-care workers believe the baby was born a few hours before she was found.

On Saturday, Aug. 17, detectives learned that a woman visited a local hospital and "showed physical signs of recently giving birth," police said. While there, she reportedly denied having been pregnant.

Detectives later executed a search warrant at Guzman's home and found "evidence of childbirth," police said. Guzman eventually admitted giving birth to the child and leaving her somewhere she could not recall.

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The 25-year-old mother was released from the hospital on Friday, Aug. 30. She was then taken to the Central Processing Unit in Rockville and charged with child neglect and reckless endangerment. No bond information is available at this time.

According to authorities, the baby remains in stable condition and is under the care of the county's child welfare services.

Under Maryland's Safe Haven law, a parent who is unable or unwilling to care for their child can give up custody, no questions asked. A parent can give the baby to a hospital staff or law enforcement officials within 10 days of childbirth, without fear of prosecution.

More information about the state's Safe Haven law can be found here.