NEWBORN BABY BOY - at birth/ Accused: Mother; Kaitlin Norton - Ellisville (St. Louis) MO

Kaitlin Norton indicted for leaving newborn under tree in Ellisville

4:30 AM, Jun 19, 2012

Clayton, MO (KSDK) - A north St. Louis County woman has been named in an indictment handed up by the Grand Jury, accusing her of first-degree child abandonment and child endangerment.

Kaitlin Norton, 20, will now proceed to trial for allegedly placing the infant into a blanket and dropping it off under a tree shortly after giving birth to the child last February.

Ellisville Police responded to a home on Westridge Parc Lane after a woman living at the home found what she initially thought was a litter of newborn puppies. One of the officers investigated and found the baby under the blanket.

The baby boy was transported to the hospital and appeared to be uninjured, despite being displaced.

Norton was arrested several days later after she too was treated at a hospital, and then turned herself into police following her release.

Norton will be arraigned on the charges next week in St. Louis County Court.

http://www.ksdk.com/news/article/324568/3/Mother-indicted-for-dumping-baby-under-pine-tree

I don't know about MO but in VA we have a law where you can leave any child at a hospital, no questions asked, and not face charges. That law should be EVERYWHERE, and then maybe fewer babies would just be abandoned under a tree or in a dumpster.

Not sure WTH she was thinking. Missouri DOES have a Safe Haven Law so you can leave your baby, up to 1 year old, with an on duty employee at any hospital, fire department, emergency medical professional or law enforcement agency.

http://www.nationalsafehavenalliance.org/states/missouri/Missouri_Safe_Haven_Law.pdf

Yeah that's crazy. Why on earth wouldn't you do that. If you're "smart" enough to realize you're in no position to raise a baby, but choose to have one anyway then at least make damn sure it's taken care of!

Average overnight temps in MO are in the mid-20's in February.
I do not think she cared to have the child survive.
Perhaps it would be a reminder of the sperm source.

We had an unseasonably warm winter. It probably saved the baby's life.

Andrew Leonard (Norton's attorney) released the following statement to NewsChannel 5:

"Kaitlin Norton is a 19 year old girl who made an incomprehensible mistake. By way of explanation, not excuse, I can relate the following. Kaitlin concealed her pregnancy initially because of a combination of a naïve understanding of her body, a boyfriend who was away at college, and insecurity over the relationships in her life. She couldn't face the problem up through the moment that she delivered the child, alone, in a basement laundry room.

"Kaitlin wants to make it clear that she acted alone and has asked her family and everyone involved for forgiveness. She also wants everyone to know that she is thankful that the baby was found quickly and is doing well. She understands now that she had other options and hopes that other girls will know about the options. She is particularly sorry that she didn't ask for help from the families involved. She is now in counseling at her church and with the court doctors and will keep cooperating with the juvenile authorities who are acting in the best interest of the child.

"Again, she is sorry for making such a bad decision and thankful to the Ellisville Police Officers, her family, and everyone who has helped in this hard to understand situation."

http://www.ksdk.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=306794