By Brandon Ortiz
bortiz@herald-leader.com
A Lexington mother accused of leaving a newborn baby on a front porch has been indicted on felony charges.
In an indictment released Wednesday, a Fayette grand jury charged Ashlee Stephens, 23, with abandonment of a minor, a Class D felony with a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
Stephens is accused of leaving her child at a house on Lincoln Avenue, near downtown Lexington, on July 2. Stephens lived nearby on Catalpa Road but did not know the woman who lived there, police say.
The state’s Cabinet for Health and Family Services took custody of the baby, who was found wrapped in blankets and put in a laundry basket on the front porch.
Stephens is scheduled to be arraigned in Fayette Circuit Court on Nov. 7.
It is legal to anonymously leave a child at a hospital or police station, but laws prevent adults from intentionally abandoning minors and placing them at risk of injury, according to police.
I am going to start with the fact I couldnt imagine carrying a child, delivering it and then just leaving it somewhere like this woman did. I can somewhat nderstand maybe the humiliation but come on, put a hat on and go to the nearest hospital or police dept or church, Lord knows there are plenty of them around Lexington. I agree with the charges filed against her. If we dont do something about it there will be babies popping up everywhere.
We get angry when mothers leave their babies to die (putting them in trash cans,dumpsters)this woman may have been scared and did not know what to do. She at least wrapped the baby and left it on a porch and not a dumpster. I can’t imagine leaving my baby anywhere period but I do not know her circumstances.
When are we going to start talking about the dad’s that leave the babies abandoned and the mom’s that they leave to try to raise them? The only one that ever gets hurt in most of the child abuse systems is the mothers and their babies and that wasn’t the way it started out to be. We fail to make men accept that if they stick it in and get it wet they may also be a father, and it doesn’t matter what their current situation is. Perhaps she should have just had an abortion and then no one would have known and they never could have said a nasty thing to her or about it in any way, right? I get so tired of trying to change the bad attitudes that our society has about what is what, who is who, and who needs to be taught a lesson, treated, punished, provided for, given money, and who doesn’t that it makes my head spin at times. She should not be indicted what is wrong with all of this and this system? It stinks so badly!
Janie, I am very disturbed with your response. Why do you think it’s your responsibility to change the attitudes of people, you aren’t everyone’s mom. And why is it that you think she shouldn’t be indicted…she left her baby on someone’s door step!! It’s okay for her to leave her baby?! It is NEVER okay to leave a baby like that. How dangerous and inhumane can a so-called mother be? If she didn’t want that baby, she shouldn’t have laid down in the first place. And abortion is never the way to go either, what’s the matter with you? I hope you have faith in your life, cuz right now, you need it. I feel sorry for this “mom” that she had no one else to turn to. Serves her right though for just leaving the baby. That baby doesn’t deserve that treatment.
Upset you need to chill out. Ok she shouldn’t have laid down(i understand)but she did. Abortion is not the answer neither is a DUMPSTER!!!!! We critize for women for abortions, leaving them is trashcans so what would you have wanted her do. Like i said before we do not know her situation. Maybe she was under alot of stress I dont know at least she didn’t sling the baby against a wall or put it in a tub of water face down. We as a society need to quit judging people and learning to forgive. I bet your life is not perfect and I am sure somewhere down the road someone has forgiven you for not being perfect. All I can say to the mother is forgive yourself because God already has.