JERSEY CITY — A 39-year-old Kensington Avenue woman was arrested Wednesday night and charged with endangering the welfare of a child and child abuse after allegedly leaving her three-pound newborn baby in a trash bag four days ago, according to a media report.
The premature baby boy was heard making noise by three teenagers who lived nearby. He was brought to Jersey City Medical Center and his presently doing fine in the neonatal unit, a hospital spokesman told NJ.com.
According to the story, “Detectives believe Lanza gave birth to the baby boy in her home on Saturday. After birth, [the woman allegedly] discarded the baby in a plastic shopping bag with paper towels and toilet paper and discarded the baby behind an apartment building at 30 Kensington Ave.”
New Jersey has laws allowing mothers to safely leave their newborn babies at certain “safe havens,” like hospitals, without risking arrest.
The woman faced a court appearance on Thursday.