Mother of abandoned baby comes forward

**Jaded** · September 30th, 2008, 06:26 AM

FEDERAL WAY, Wash. - New surveillance video taken Monday morning at Steel Lake Presbyterian Church shows something unexpected.

Federal Way Police say it's the mother who abandoned her baby at the church, returning to the same place a little more than 24 hours later. She actually entered the church but then left minutes later.

The same cameras also captured the woman's first visit to the church around 2:15 Sunday morning when she left an infant girl, wrapped in a towel, on the church's front stoop.

The baby stayed there for 5 1/2 hours, until parishioner JC Gumm arrived early for band practice.

The baby girl was taken to the hospital, where physicians determined that she was no more than 12 hours old.

Police began searching for the mother, and say the young woman did call them after seeing news reports.

At around noon Monday, the 22-year-old woman arrived at the police station and identified herself as the mother of the baby. She was questioned for several hours and was released on her own recognizance.

The baby is in fair condition at St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma. CPS is looking for a foster home to care for the child.

Police will submit the case to the King County Prosecutors Office for investigation of Child Abandonment, a class C felony, for consideration of formal charges.

http://www.king5.com/localnews/stori....c3f10eab.html

**crickett** · September 30th, 2008, 07:18 AM

I think that she was probably thinking that this was a safe haven place. I do have to really question her judgement in leaving the baby outside where it took so long for the poor little one to be found.

**Peeperann** · September 30th, 2008, 10:48 AM

At least she didn't throw the baby in the dumpster and I heard she had the baby wrapped up warm and stayed till someone found him or her.

Not the best place to leave a baby i'll give you that. Hospital or Fire dept would have been better.

**Silvahalo** · September 30th, 2008, 01:05 PM

Absolutely better than dumping her like trash. I hope this little one gets a good home and the love she needs.

**Jaded** · October 6th, 2008, 12:40 AM

Baby is now with her daddy...

AUBURN, Wash. - Like most new dads, Clark Stevens is hard at work, putting together a bassinet for the first night his baby girl will spend with him.

But Clark is not a typical dad. He just found out he was a father a few days ago, and soon after he got the news, he hopped on a plane from National Guard training in Wisconsin.

"It's definitely a miracle after everything she's been through, that she's healthy," he said.

The baby, named Mariah Verle by her father, was left outside a Federal Way church last Saturday by her mother shortly after she was born.

After receiving a three-week pass from the military, Clark is now home with his daughter and his mother, Wendy, who has been granted temporary custody.

Clark says he had no idea his ex girlfriend was pregnant, and still does not know why she abandoned the baby. But he says that is all in the past. He and his family are now focused on celebrating this newest addition of the family.

"She won't remember any of this, thank goodness, so we're just going to do everything we can that she has a good life and that she has a good life and be loved by everyone," he said.

Mariah's mother turned herself into police soon after the surveillance video aired on KING 5 News.

Authorities are now recommending that she be charged with second degree child abandonment.

At the end of the month, Clark will head to Iraq for a 10-month deployment. Mariah will be cared for by his family.

http://www.king5.com/localnews/stori....e3189cfa.html

**Aelwynn** · October 6th, 2008, 05:57 PM

Father says she hid her pregnancy.

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/30512764.html

FEDERAL WAY, Wash. -- Until last week, Clark Stevens had no idea he was a dad.

"I got home from training and had a phone call from my Mom and my whole life turned upside down," Stevens said Sunday while holding his infant daughter.

Stevens was in Wisconsin training with his National Guard unit when his mom told him to come home to Auburn because he had a daughter waiting for him.

And little Mariah Verle Stevens is the best surprise Stevens has ever received.

"She's eating a lot, which is good," he said.

Last Saturday the girl's mother abandoned her at Steel Lake Presbyterian Church.

Wrapped in a beach towel, Mariah spent nearly six hours alone in 49-degree temperatures before she was discovered by a parishioner. The infant was was taken to a local hospital, where she was found to be in fair condition.

Doctors believe the baby was no more than 12 hours old.

Investigators released surveillance video showing Mariah being left near a front door, and the mother turned herself in to police on Monday.

Officers said it is not legal to leave a newborn child at a church or other public location, and the case is being investigated as a felony. But police believe the mother left the child at the church, thinking it would be a safe place for her child.

Under the state's safe haven law, mothers can legally drop off infants who are 72 hours old or younger to a qualified personnel at a hospital or a fire station without identifying themselves.

Stevens says the woman who left Mariah at the church is his ex-girlfriend, who apparently hid the pregnancy from everyone -- including her own family.

Stevens said he has full custody of Mariah, and his mother, Wendy, is helping take care of his new daughter.

"A few days ago my house was just a normal house," she said. "Now it's got all these strollers and swings."

Stevens is bonding with his daughter, but he won't be holding her for much longer.

The training in Wisconsin was in preparation for his unit's deployment to Iraq. He leaves this week and is expected to be deployed for 10 months.

But he'll be thinking about Mariah.

"Every day," he said. "I'm already addicted to her."

As details emerge, seems like she hid it not only from him and his family...but from her own family as well. Looks like his ex also called his mom during his latest outta state training session to tell him where the baby was.

**Jaded** · October 10th, 2008, 08:22 PM

King County prosecutors will not seek any jail time for the young woman who left her newborn baby outside a church in the middle of the night.

Sarah Christianson, 22, is charged with abandonment of a dependent person in the third degree.

The abandonment charge is a gross misdemeanor that usually carries a sentence of up to a year in jail. But prosecutors instead plan to ask that Christianson receive treatment and community supervision if convicted.

According to police reports, Christianson gave birth in a yard outside the apartments where she and her father live. She told Federal Way police that she cut the umbilical cord with scissors, threw the placenta in the trash and wrapped the baby in a beach towel.

"I mean, I didn't realize it was dangerous, the area and everything, and it wasn't ideal leaving it at a church at night, but I really know that somebody can take way better care of her and give her a better life than I can," the woman told police.

http://www.nwcn.com/topstories/stori....fcc1fe3d.html

**Sister Iroz** · October 10th, 2008, 09:47 PM

I'm so happy we finally have one with a happy ending! Bless the father and his mom, please take good care of the baby.

**SoUncool** · October 10th, 2008, 10:10 PM

I am out of thanks but this story has a wonderful happy ending! Thanks for posting!

**Lizard** · October 10th, 2008, 10:23 PM

Originally Posted by SoUncool

I am out of thanks but this story has a wonderful happy ending!

Unless the dad gets killed in Iraq.

**Lynntoast** · October 11th, 2008, 08:19 PM

Way to think Positive there Liz!

**blue_zombie** · October 11th, 2008, 08:33 PM

This is a story about a real man who accepted the responsibility of being a parent. I'm glad that he and his family are taking care of the child and making a life for her. I wish there were more Dads out there like this!!!!!!

**Just my luck sucks** · August 15th, 2009, 11:04 AM

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/53264182.html

KENT, Wash. -- A mother who abandoned her newborn baby on a cold set of church steps dodged jail time when she was sentenced Friday.

A judge gave Sarah Christianson a two-year deferred sentence for child abandonment. She has to perform 200 hours of community service and continue counseling.

From the outset, prosecutors said they didn't want to put Christianson behind bars. They say she was a confused woman who did a terrible thing with the best intentions.

Last September, a surveillance camera captured her walking up to the front of a church in Federal Way, then setting a baby in a corner. A parishioner found the infant the next morning and called police.