A Houston woman, who is in the United States illegally, has been arrested and charged with child abandonment after allegedly placing her newborn baby in a dumpster. Everilda Cux-Ajtzalam, 18, is accused of giving birth to the baby in a food truck on Dashwood Drive, where she worked, and then disposing of the infant in a nearby dumpster.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Cux-Ajtzalam entered the United States as an unaccompanied minor. Police said that after giving birth, she placed the baby, placenta, and umbilical cord in a trash bag and threw it away, before returning to clean the truck.
A passerby heard the baby crying from the dumpster and called 911, prompting first responders to rush to the scene. The baby, who has been named Gabriel, was taken to the hospital and is reported to be in good health. He is currently in the custody of Child Protective Services.
Surveillance video captured the entire incident, including the moment the baby was rescued, according to ABC13. When questioned by police, Cux-Ajtzalam allegedly claimed that she had no other choice but to abandon the baby because she feared her boyfriend would end their relationship if he found out about the child.
Cux-Ajtzalam was arrested on July 23 and is facing a child abandonment charge. She appeared in court last Friday, where her bond was set at $200,000. The case has raised concerns about the challenges faced by young, undocumented mothers in the United States.
