Lucia Garcia, a 21-year-old woman from Mexico, was arrested on May 20 after leaving her newborn baby boy in a bathroom trash can at Staten Island University Hospital.
Garcia claims she did not know she was pregnant and had no idea she had thrown her baby away. In an interview with The Post, Garcia stated, I thought it was just blood. I didnt know I put my baby in the trash until the nurse told me later.
Garcia was found covered in blood by a police officer working security and cleaning staff. The officer heard the babys cries and found the newborn boy in the garbage can. Garcia was charged with two counts of assault, two counts of reckless endangerment, and one count of acting in a manner injurious to a child. An order of protection was also issued against her at a bedside arraignment on Monday.
The baby, who was immediately taken to NYU Langone following his birth, is still hospitalized but is in the citys Administration for Childrens Services custody. Garcias next court date is set for June 16.
Garcias father, Ambrosio Garcia, 41, said that his daughter had insisted she wasnt pregnant and that he had brought her to the hospital the night before because she wasnt feeling well. Garcia, who immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico about ten months ago, said she has no idea where her infant son is now. I dont know when Im going to get him back, she said. I want him back. I want to take care of him. I just want my baby back.
Garcia said the babys father lived in Manhattan and had come to the room she shares with her father in Staten Island a few times after the two met on Facebook. The police took her phone to the hospital, so she couldnt tell him that she had his child. How am I going to tell him when I dont have any way to contact him? she asked. But her father plans to find the babys dad, she said. He is going to have to pay for all of this, she said of the young man.
Garcia said she wasnt sure about having a baby but had since changed her mind. At first, I didnt know if I was ready to be a mom, she said. I thought I had made an error but now I just want him here with me.
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