San Antonio, Texas — An 18-year-old mother is facing a child abandonment and endangerment charge after authorities say she handed her 1-month-old son to a stranger she had just met at a downtown bus stop.
The unusual encounter happened around 10:45 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13, when Karla Ibarra reportedly approached Jennifer Benavides at a bus stop and asked to use her phone, according to local reports citing the San Antonio Police Department.
What happened next left Benavides stunned.
Teen Mom Allegedly Hands Baby to Stranger
According to reports, Ibarra allegedly handed the infant to Benavides after approaching her at the bus stop. Benavides recalled the baby as being about one month old and said Ibarra appeared determined to give him to someone else.
“Very beautiful baby. Handsome. 1 month old,” Benavides recalled of the child to KSAT 12. “So, she’s like, ‘Well, do you want him? I’m going to give him away. I’m going to give him to somebody.’”
Benavides said Ibarra then began giving her the infant’s personal documents.
“She begins handing me his birth certificate, his Medicaid, his Social Security card,” Benavides added.
Authorities later determined that Ibarra had allegedly left the child with Benavides because she no longer wanted the baby, according to reports citing the San Antonio Police Department.
Stranger Tried to Find Help for the Infant
Benavides reportedly became concerned as she realized that Ibarra intended to leave the child with her. Rather than simply taking the baby and leaving, Benavides attempted to get help from a friend who lived nearby.
The two women went to the friend’s home with the infant. According to reports, Ibarra subsequently left the area in an Uber, leaving her son behind.
The situation eventually led to police involvement, and Ibarra was arrested after she later returned to the area. The baby was subsequently placed in the care of other relatives, according to Child Protective Services.
The child was just one month old at the time of the incident, making the circumstances particularly concerning for those who encountered him.
Benavides Says She Was in the Right Place
Benavides said she did not expect to become involved in a situation involving an abandoned infant when she encountered Ibarra at the bus stop. Reflecting on what happened, she credited her faith rather than herself for being there when the baby needed help.
“I can’t take any credit for that. God just put me at the right place and the right time,” Benavides told. “It’s upsetting to know that even with all the resources that we have out there that someone would do this.”
Her account highlights the uncertainty surrounding the encounter and the importance of determining whether a parent seeking to surrender a baby uses a legally designated safe-haven option.
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Teen Mother Faces Child Abandonment Charge
Ibarra has since been charged with abandoning and endangering a child with intent to return, according to the San Antonio Express-News, citing Bexar County Court records.
A judge reportedly set her bail at $7,000. The case also comes as Texas has a specific legal option for parents who are unable or unwilling to care for a newborn.
What Texas’ Safe Haven Law Allows
Texas’ Safe Haven Law, commonly known as the Baby Moses Law, was introduced in 1999.
The law allows a parent to anonymously and legally surrender an unharmed newborn at certain designated locations without facing legal repercussions under the law’s requirements.
The baby must be 60 days old or younger and can be surrendered at locations such as fire stations, emergency medical services stations and hospitals.
The infant must generally be physically handed to an employee at the designated location, although Texas also allows the use of a Safe Baby Box where available.
The distinction is important because leaving an infant with an unrelated stranger at a bus stop is not the same as using one of the state’s designated safe-haven procedures.
As the criminal case involving Ibarra moves forward, the baby has been placed with relatives while authorities continue addressing the circumstances surrounding the incident.
What are your thoughts on the circumstances surrounding this case and Texas’ Safe Haven Law? Share your thoughts in the comments.
