An 18-year-old Houston mother has been arrested after she allegedly tossed her newborn baby in a dumpster, telling police she believed she had to do it or else her boyfriend would break up with her.
Everilda Cux-Ajtzalam was arrested on Thursday and charged with one count of felony abandoning a child without the intent to return.
Cuz-Ajtzalam Gave Birth to the Child Behind a Food Truck Where She Worked
According to a criminal complaint filed in the District Court for Harris County, Cux-Ajtzalam on July 21, 2024, allegedly gave birth to the child "on the ground behind the food truck where she works" before placing the baby in "a tied garbage bag" and left him in a dumpster in the 6000 block of Dashwood Drive in Houston, Texas.
"(Defendant) put the child, placenta, & umbilical cord into a trash bag, took the trash bag to a dumpster, & left the child in the dumpster tied inside the trash bag," a magistrate judge wrote in a bond order.
Passerby Heard the Baby Crying and Called 911
Later, an individual walking past the dumpster heard the newborn crying and called 911. Officers with the Houston Police Department and emergency medical personnel at about 1:15 p.m. responded to the area and were able to recover the child from inside the dumpster.
Medics with the Houston Fire Department transported the victim to Texas Children's Hospital for treatment. Authorities said the child was stable and in good condition. After being treated, he was placed into the custody of Child Protective Services.
Cuz-Ajtzalam Told Cops She 'Didn't Want Her Boyfriend to Break Up With Her'
Police quickly linked the newborn to the food truck and tracked down Cux-Ajtzalam. In an interview with detectives, Cux-Ajtzalam allegedly said that she "had no choice" but to put the baby in the dumpster because "she didn't want her boyfriend to break up with her," the bond order stated, adding that the "event" was caught on surveillance camera footage.
Cux-Ajtzalam, a Guatemalan national, made her first court appearance on Friday. Records show that prosecutors requested a bond of $150,000 and Cux-Ajtzalam's public defender sought a bond of $7,500.
While Cux-Ajtzalam's bond was ultimately set at $90,000, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has placed a hold on her release, records show. She currently remains in detention at the Harris County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court on Monday.
