SE Houston home where wanted mom allegedly left baby possibly belongs to the father, HPD says
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The search for a 23-year-old woman continues a week after she allegedly ditched her baby boy outside a home, leaving him alone for hours in the middle of the night in southeast Houston.
Records show Loretta Norwood is charged with abandoning a child.
The Houston Police Department shared the boy's picture with the public one week ago and hasn't said much since.
Although the documents are public record, a spokesperson told ABC13 investigators don't want anything else released because they are trying to find Norwood.
On March 22, Norwood allegedly dropped her son off in a car seat outside a home in the 8400 block of Winthrop Lane shortly after midnight.
The boy was left alone for six hours outside in the middle of the night before someone found him.
New court documents show a man, possibly the baby's father, told investigators that Norwood texted him that night at about 12:50 a.m.
Records show he told investigators Norwood texted him, "Your son is outside. Tell your mom to go get him. Don't leave your son outside. He is there after the DNA, you can get his paper."
He told investigators he didn't see his phone until the morning.
Surveillance footage shows the baby being dropped off at 12:10 a.m., and it wasn't until 6 a.m. that a woman inside the home went outside and found the infant and called the police.
It's unclear if the woman is the man's mother.
The baby boy, who police said is about nine months old, was released from the hospital last week and is now in foster care.
The Katy Police Department sent Eyewitness News Norwood's mugshot from a separate incident earlier this month.
Court records show Norwood met up with two people to buy an iPhone and ran off.
She was charged with aggravated robbery, and a bond was set at $25,000, which she posted two weeks before allegedly abandoning her baby.
ABC13 spoke to Norwood's brother on the phone. He said he isn't close with his sister but knows she has two other children.
Eyewitness News asked Child Protective Services whether her other children were also in their custody. A spokesperson said they confirmed she has at least one other child, and they are working with law enforcement to find the child and make sure they are safe.
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