A 24-year-old Connecticut woman has been arre-sted after an 8-month-old girl was found aba-ndoned alive in a du-mpster outside of an apartment building Monday afternoon.
The baby was transported to Yale New Haven Children’s hospital undergoing severe bu*ns on both hands but is in stable condition. Police also recovered a pink infant car seat from the du-mpster.
Around 2 p.m., officers responded to the Presidential Gardens apartment complex in Newhallville, Connecticut, after a maintenance worker found the baby.
The child’s mother was located and interviewed by police. Andiana Velez, whom police believe to be the child’s babysitter, was arre-sted on so-called she as*aulted the 21-year-old mother earlier in the day.
She was cha-rged with the r!sk of inj-ury to a child, as*ault second degree and re-ckless enda-ngerment first degree. Detectives say Velez put the baby in the du-mpster, but they have not yet determined who is responsible for the child’s inj*ries. Police and the state Department of Children and Families (DCF) are continuing to investigate.
Velez is being held in l!eu of $250,000 ba!l. Neighbors and community leaders said they are sh*cked and ho*rified by the discovery.
A woman who did not want to appear on camera said, “Total d!sbelief that someone could put a baby in a du-mpster with bu-rnt hands and just leave them. I’m glad the person that found him or her was there and did the right thing.I’m just so dev*stated right now.”
Co-Ward Chair for Ward 21, Raymond Jackson said, “People don’t have to do anything like this. There are better places to leave a baby than in a du-mpster, you know? If people need help, then all they have to do is reach out.We are here, and I’m just sha-king. What if I would’ve found that baby? I wouldn’t know what to think. That’s the lowest you can ever go.”
This Article First Published On WATE