Houston police looking for abandoned 12-month-old baby's mother
HOUSTON - Houston police continue to look for the mother of a 12-month-old boy found Tuesday alone in southwest Houston.
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On Wednesday, police shared a photo of the young baby in hopes of locating his parents. The boy was found wearing only a diaper at an apartment along the 10300 block of South Wilcrest Drive.
According to sources, the 12-month-old was discovered crying, his head was stuck in an iron fence.
"No baby should be left in the heat," Tacorya Robinson. "Should no baby be hungry, starving, nothing."
Robinson lives in the apartment complex where the baby was discovered. According to Robinson, her kids would play with the young boy. Robinson believes she saw the baby’s mother Tuesday.
"The mother was walking up and down the street, and she was sweating," said Robinson. "She was drenched in sweat. She had a bag of ice in one hand, and a pink jug of juice in the other hand. She was scared."
Investigators later identified the baby's mother as Dana McGowan, 33.
The Houston Police Department located the baby next to a stroller. The 12-month-old was taken to a hospital with minor injuries.
"We don’t have any evidence the injuries are inflicted on the child," said HPD Sgt. R Swope. "These are injuries that just came with the child being alone."
HPD has been in contact with the boy’s father. However, Dana McGowan, as of this writing, still hasn’t been found.
"The boy is in the care of CPS, and he’s been placed in a foster home where he is safe," said a spokesperson from CPS. "Texas Children’s Hospital released the boy into our care [Wednesday] morning after doctors checked him out and found the child to be healthy and unharmed. We are investigating this case alongside law enforcement."
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Police say neither McGowen nor his father lived at the apartment complex where he was located. Authorities aren’t sure who or why someone abandoned him there.
"It had been 24 hours before we put it out to the media and still there was no contact from mom," said HPD Detective R. Blackmon. "48 hours later, still no contact from mom. That’s unusual."
If you have any information about this case, you’re urged to contact the police.