Hudson Valley Mother Abandons Newborn in Motel Room Toilet
A Hudson Valley mother was sentenced after she confessed she left her newborn child in a motel room toilet.
On Tuesday in Orange County Court, 23-year-old Teresa Smith was sentenced to 10 years in prison in connection with Smith leaving her newborn baby in the toilet bowl of a motel room.
“It is hard to comprehend what could drive any mother to do this to her own baby by abandoning him under these circumstances,” Orange Cou District Attorney David Hoovler. “Infants are the most innocent of victims. We can only hope that there are no long-lasting physical effects which will be suffered by the victim in this case.
In April, Smith pleaded guilty to assault.
When Smith pleaded guilty, she admitted her actions in abandoning the newborn baby in the toilet bowl and leaving the motel room caused serious physical injury to the infant which created a substantial risk of death, officials say.
On November 1, 2018, motel workers at the Budget Inn Motel, located at 5202 Route 9W in the Town of Newburgh, discovered blood, other bodily fluids and soiled clothes in Smith's motel room and immediately contacted police.
Officers from the Town of Newburgh Police Department discovered the baby in the toilet bowl and immediately rendered first aid. The baby was rushed to the hospital and survived.
Prosecutors argued Smith abandoned the child in the motel toilet bowl moments after giving birth and left the room with no intent to return or care for her newborn.
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