A Texas mother accused of abandoning her baby girl in a flowerbed told prosecutors that she doesn’t want to be a mother nor does she want to see her child. Sidney Woytasczyk, 21, has been charged with child abandonment for leaving her baby alone in a bush for six hours with wild ants.
Prosecutors say that Wozytasczyk gave birth to the child in the kitchen of her Houston apartment. They also say that she cut the cord and exposed her baby to the elements for six hours as a means to prevent her boyfriend from being frightened off, according to ABC 13.
“We believe that she was trying to hide the fact that she was pregnant and gave birth from her boyfriend,” said Sergeant Matt Ferguson of the Child Abuse division of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
Woztasckzyk was arrested after a pedestrian discovered a baby covered in ants. The 21-year-old suspect appeared in Harris County Court for the second time this Wednesday. She told investigators that she didn’t see her baby and she didn’t want to be a mother. She allegedly admits to cutting the baby’s umbilical cord and leaving it naked in a flowerbed.
Meanwhile, the infant victim is currently in the ICU, fighting a bacterial infection which developed after the suspect split her placenta in two. As a result, the baby may be at risk of developing meningitis.
The baby had also endured a rapid heart rate as a result of her injuries. However, she is now in good condition at the neonatal ICU at Texas Children’s Hospital.
“She described the delivery,” said prosecutor to the judge, according to Click2Houston. “The officer asked if she had a boy or a girl and she stated, “A girl.”
“The defendant stated she went outside without wrapping it. She did cut the cord.”
But since the cord was not clamped and tied down, this put the child in danger of bleeding to death as well as developing a bacterial infection, according to authorities.
After dumping the baby, she allegedly cleaned herself up and went to sleep.
If convicted, Woytasczyk can face a maximum of 20 years behind bars. Announcing the charge, assistant Chief Armando Tello of Harris County Sheriff’s Office said: “A felony charge of abandoning a child and causing serious bodily injury has been filed against Sidney Woytasczyk, aged 21, which carries a maximum possible punishment of 20 years in prison.”
A judge set Sidney Woytascyk’s bond at $20,000.
Her boyfriend allegedly had no idea that she was pregnant in the first place. He is currently seeking custody over the baby, and so is the child’s maternal grandmother.
However, the baby will remain in the custody of Child Protective Services for the time being.
Although, CPS can determine within the next week on whether or not the boyfriend or the grandmother has adequate living arrangement for the baby.
Tiffani Butler, with Child Protective Services, said “The caseworker goes out, goes to the home, makes sure there’s adequate space, makes sure it’s a comfortable loving home, make sure it’s safe.”
