Parents accused of leaving baby in parking lot appear in court

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A judge will decide next month whether the 8-week-old boy allegedly abandoned by his parents in a west Harris County parking lot will be placed temporarily with extended family.

Sarah Shibley, 33, and Gary Collins, 39, are charged with endangering a child.

Shibley and Collins were arrested Tuesday night after a man found the 8-week-old baby boy in a parking lot at Westgreen Boulevard and the Katy Freeway.

Prosecutors said the parents had no idea they had left their son alone in his car seat until Shibley's coworker called to tell her the police had her baby.

Co-worker Erika Barrera told a different story about Shibley's frantic phone call at the Russo's New York Pizzeria where they work.

"She just told me -- 'Can you go check?' She was crying," said Erika Barrera.

Barrera said Shibley finished her shift at 9:17 p.m. Tuesday and called the restaurant around 9:40 p.m., looking for the infant.

According to Barrera, Shibley claimed she'd just realized she'd left the newborn in the parking lot.

"She think (sic) that the baby-daddy put it in the car and the baby-daddy think she put in the car," said Barrera.

Shibley refused to comment to Eyewitness News after leaving court Thursday.

For now, the baby remains in foster care.

A custody hearing is set for April 5.

According to Child Protective Services, the infant is doing well.

At this time, Shibley and Collins have been court-ordered to have no one-on-one contact with minors. If they would like to see their son, the visit must be monitored by CPS.

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