Police find dead baby in search of home

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Houston police searching a home in response to a report saying a mother might have dumped her baby in the trash have found what they were looking for.

Detectives spent the day at a Stafford house on Tambourine near Keegan, trying to determine exactly what happened. They tell us they found a body early Wednesday afternoon.

Using trained dogs and volunteers, investigators frantically searched through dumpsters around the Houston area.

"I hope we find it," said janitor Ruben Orosco, who helped with the search.

After an eight hour search, police say they found a baby whose mother says she gave birth to the child while attempting to perform an abortion.

"After a thorough search, we did find the fetus," said Sgt. James Racus with the HPD Homicide Division.

Investigators say a 29-year-old woman showed up at a hospital early Wednesday morning after losing a dangerous amount of blood. Police say she told her doctor she had just given herself an abortion.

Sgt. Racus explained, "She said that she took pills and that she physically exerted the fetus out."

Police say the woman spoke very little English. She told them she was scared and didn't know where to turn.

"She was distraught over the fact that the father of the child was not going to help her pay for the abortion, so she decided to do it on her own," Sgt. Racus said.

Police say the woman was 20 to 25 weeks pregnant. They say they can't say if the baby was alive when she gave birth.

KTRK legal analyst Joel Androphy says that's the key to whether charges will be filed in the case.

"You have the basic rights to an abortion," he explained. "The question is, did she abort a child that was alive at the time and breathing? When the child came out of her body, was the child breathing and alive and she just stuffed it away?"

The woman remains in the hospital. She is expected to make a full recovery. No charges have been filed at this time.
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