Texas Teen’s Fear of Deportation Linked to Baby Found in Dumpster

According to an exclusive interview with the Washington Post, a teenager from Guatemala, who is undocumented, abandoned her newborn baby in a dumpster in Houston. She revealed that her fear of deportation prevented her from seeking medical care.

This incident highlights a concerning pattern in Texas, where local officials have referred to cases of infant abandonment as an “epidemic,” despite the existence of safe haven laws designed to prevent such tragedies.

In her interview with the Washington Post, Cux-Ajtzalam stated that she was raped by a relative in Houston and didn’t realize she was pregnant until later on.

The teenager explained that she didn’t think about going to a clinic due to hearing stories about Texas officials deporting undocumented immigrants.

Additionally, Cux-Ajtzalam was not aware of Texas’s safe haven law, which permits parents to safely leave their newborns at designated locations without facing legal consequences.

The migrant mother is currently being charged with felony child abandonment and could potentially face up to 20 years in prison, followed by deportation.

Following the incident, her baby, who was given the name Gabriel by those who rescued him, was placed under the care of local foster parents.

According to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, the number of abandoned infants in Texas has increased significantly over the past decade. In 2024 alone, there have been 18 reported cases, compared to just seven ten years ago.

A recent and tragic incident took place at a Whataburger in San Antonio, right before Christmas. Emergency responders arrived at the scene to find a woman trying to flush her newborn baby down the toilet. Sadly, the baby did not survive.

Law enforcement officials highlight a common thread of desperation, drawing attention to recent cases that exemplify this.

These cases include a homeless mother who abandoned her baby in a clothing donation bin and another woman who, after fainting during childbirth, tragically placed her deceased infant in a garbage truck.

Texas has implemented one of the most stringent abortion bans in the country, without any provisions for cases of rape or incest.

The state consistently ranks among the lowest in terms of women’s healthcare and reproductive services, and it also has the highest proportion of uninsured women in the entire nation.

Surprisingly, despite allocating a significant $165 million towards anti-abortion initiatives, Texas lawmakers have neglected to allocate any funds towards raising awareness about the safe haven law.

Human rights advocates are also highlighting the mandate set by Gov. Greg Abbott, which requires hospitals to keep track of the expenses incurred in treating undocumented immigrants.

In Texas, hospitals are obligated, as of November 1, to ask patients about their citizenship status, as per an executive order issued by Governor Abbott.

The intention behind this order is to evaluate the healthcare costs associated with undocumented immigrants in the state, with the aim of seeking federal reimbursements.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Texas immediately expressed concerns about the new requirement, fearing that it may discourage undocumented residents from seeking the medical attention they need.

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