Family of young girl abandoned at Dallas hospital speaks out about her future

Amy McDaniel
·2 min read
146

Family members of a young girl who was abandoned at a Dallas hospital are speaking out as state officials explore options for who will have custody of the child.

The girl, believed to be 6 years old, was left at the emergency room at Baylor University Medical Center on Monday. She gave her first name as Alejandra but was unable to tell the staff who her family was, officials said. Relatives came forward to identify her about three days later.

The girl’s aunt and grandmother told Univision News that they found out on the child’s birthday that her mother had dropped her off at the hospital.

“When I spoke to her mother she told me she just turned her in,” the girl’s aunt told Univision. “She said, ‘Don’t interfere with my business’.”

The relatives told Univision that the mother uses drugs, suffers from mental illness and has refused offers of help.

Elijah Ramos, 19, told WFAA-TV that the girl is his younger sister but he has never met her.

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Ramos said that his paternal grandparents adopted him and three of his siblings in 2016 and he’s only seen his mother once since then.

He told WFAA that his mother would have outbursts and “we would have to stay outside stores for the night.”

Alejandra remains in the custody of Child Protective Services but the Department of Family and Protective Services said it is exploring options for placing her with family members. A court hearing regarding Alejandra’s custody is scheduled for Dec. 14.

“I want to at least meet her first and see what we can do for her, because I don’t want her to end up in a bad place,” Ramos said. “I want her to be with people who at least care about her and want to give her a brighter future.”