Authorities confirmed that a young woman accused of throwing her newborn baby into a dumpster in Houston is in the U.S. illegally. The woman, identified as Everilda Cux Ajtalam, is a Guatemalan national who entered the country illegally as an unaccompanied minor according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials. ICE lodged an immigration detainer with the Harris County Jail following her arrest for allegedly abandoning the child without intent to return.
The incident came to light when Houston Police Department officers received reports of a baby crying from a dumpster in southwest Houston. Ajtalam admitted to police that she had given birth earlier that day outside the food truck where she worked. She confessed to placing the baby, along with the placenta and umbilical cord, in a trash bag and leaving it in the dumpster.
A surveillance video captured the act of abandoning the newborn, leading to Ajtalam’s arrest. She claimed that she had no other choice but to abandon the baby because she feared her boyfriend would leave her. The newborn was rescued and taken to Texas Children’s Hospital, where it was reported to be in good health. Child Protective Services has taken custody of the baby.
During her court appearance, Harris County District Court Judge Veronica M. Nelson criticized Ajtalam for her actions, stating that it was fortunate that the child was found and received care. Judge Nelson set Ajtalam’s bail at $90,000 initially but later raised it to $200,000 due to the severity of the offense.
Ajtalam remains in custody at the Harris County Jail on an immigration hold. The case has raised concerns about the circumstances faced by undocumented immigrants in the country and the challenges they may encounter. It also highlights the importance of providing support and resources to individuals in desperate situations to prevent such tragic incidents from occurring in the future.
