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Mother Charged After Baby Found On Side Of The Road

PASADENA, Md. (WJZ) -- The mother of an abandoned baby found on the side of the road in Anne Arundel County is arrested. Police say their investigation revealed that the mother is the one who left the baby on the road alone.

Marcus Washington has more.

Sandra McClary is arrested and charged with child neglect and reckless endangerment after Anne Arundel County police say she left her infant girl in her car seat and on the side of the road in Pasadena.

"You can't leave a two or three month old on the side of the road unattended. Period. End of story," said Lt. T.J. Smith, Anne Arundel County Police Department.

The child--no more than three months old--is found on the road by Bishop Raymond Showell and his wife while driving home Saturday night on Druid Hill Avenue in Anne Arundel County.

baby

"There was something in the road. It looked like somebody had left something there, so I slowed my vehicle down and looked. And as I looked to the side, it looked like it was a child in a carriage," said Showell. "And as I got closer, indeed, that's exactly what it was."

Police say a diaper bag was also left behind with the child.

Investigators say while questioning the 26-year-old mother, she originally said the child's father was supposed to have the infant, but did not know where the baby was at the time.

After proving McClary was indeed the child's parent, more questions from police led them to conclude that it was McClary who took the baby out of the car, leaving her on the side of the road.

"The baby was just crying so hard. It's a shame people would do something like that," said Alice Burton, who called police.

Police say there are safe haven laws in the state, meaning you can leave your child with someone at a hospital, church of fire station and not be charged with a crime.

The child is now in the care of Social Services.

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