This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-28144169
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Woman sentenced for abandoning baby in Birmingham park | Woman sentenced for abandoning baby in Birmingham park |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A woman who dumped her newborn baby in a plastic bag in a Birmingham park has been spared prison. | A woman who dumped her newborn baby in a plastic bag in a Birmingham park has been spared prison. |
| The child, thought to be just 24 hours old when she was abandoned, was discovered by a dog walker in Stechford Park in October. | The child, thought to be just 24 hours old when she was abandoned, was discovered by a dog walker in Stechford Park in October. |
| She was named Jade by hospital staff, after the dog that found her, and later put into foster care. | She was named Jade by hospital staff, after the dog that found her, and later put into foster care. |
| The 27-year-old mother was given a six-month jail sentence, suspended for two years, with two years supervision. | The 27-year-old mother was given a six-month jail sentence, suspended for two years, with two years supervision. |
| The woman, who had been suffering post-natal depression, pleaded guilty to wilfully abandoning the baby in a hearing at Birmingham Crown Court in May. | The woman, who had been suffering post-natal depression, pleaded guilty to wilfully abandoning the baby in a hearing at Birmingham Crown Court in May. |
| West Midlands Police said the child could have died within an hour if she had not been found, due to her low body temperature. | West Midlands Police said the child could have died within an hour if she had not been found, due to her low body temperature. |
| Baby Jade was discovered wrapped in a towel inside a bag in a bush by Roger Wilday, who was out walking his German Shepherd dog in Stechford Park on 31 October. | Baby Jade was discovered wrapped in a towel inside a bag in a bush by Roger Wilday, who was out walking his German Shepherd dog in Stechford Park on 31 October. |
| Sentencing the mother, Judge Simon Drew at Birmingham Crown Court said she had acted in "panic and desperation". | Sentencing the mother, Judge Simon Drew at Birmingham Crown Court said she had acted in "panic and desperation". |
| The court heard she gave birth on the bathroom floor at her mother's home. | The court heard she gave birth on the bathroom floor at her mother's home. |
| She had hidden the pregnancy from her family and did not involve medical professionals because she was scared and feared she could not cope. | She had hidden the pregnancy from her family and did not involve medical professionals because she was scared and feared she could not cope. |
| The court was also told she had other children and had broken up with their father. | The court was also told she had other children and had broken up with their father. |
| The judge said: "The defendant was suffering from post-natal depression. When her partner left things began to spiral out of control." | The judge said: "The defendant was suffering from post-natal depression. When her partner left things began to spiral out of control." |
| He said she feared her children would be taken away from her and decided to conceal the pregnancy. | He said she feared her children would be taken away from her and decided to conceal the pregnancy. |
| The court was told that, following the birth, the woman washed and fed the child before taking her to the park. | The court was told that, following the birth, the woman washed and fed the child before taking her to the park. |
| Judge Drew said the infant was "very young, hours old and therefore very vulnerable". | Judge Drew said the infant was "very young, hours old and therefore very vulnerable". |
| 'Close to death' | |
| Prosecutor Rhydian James said it was a "large stroke of luck" she was discovered | Prosecutor Rhydian James said it was a "large stroke of luck" she was discovered |
| Baby Jade was taken to Heartlands Hospital, where she was put in an incubator, suffering from hypothermia. She was discharged two weeks later. | Baby Jade was taken to Heartlands Hospital, where she was put in an incubator, suffering from hypothermia. She was discharged two weeks later. |
| The baby, now almost nine months old, has been renamed and was in foster care, police said. | |
| Det Insp Richard Cox, who led the investigation, said: "Baby Jade was close to death when she was found, she was blue and cold and medical staff were unable to register a temperature at first. | |
| "Jade was a helpless newborn child, abandoned by her mother on a cold winter's day, in a park in a place where she was not visible to passers-by and where she could easily have been attacked by wild animals." | |
| Police said she was now making good progress. |