Migrant Teen Who Abandoned Baby in Houston Dumpster Didn't Seek Medical Care Due to Fear of Deportation

An undocumented Guatemalan teenager who abandoned her newborn baby in a Houston dumpster, cited fear of deportation as the reason she avoided seeking medical care, per an exclusive interview with the Washington Post. The incident is part of a broader, troubling trend in Texas, where local officials have described infant abandonment cases as an "epidemic" despite safe haven laws intended to prevent such tragedies.

In July, authorities found a newborn boy in a dumpster near a Houston apartment complex. His mother, Everilda Cux-Ajtzalam, was captured on security footage giving birth behind a taco truck, using trash bags to handle the baby, and disposing of him in a dumpster.

In her interview with Washington Post, Cux-Ajtzalam claimed she was raped by a relative in Houston and was unaware of her pregnancy until its late stages. The teenager said she did not consider going to a clinic because she had heard about Texas officials deporting undocumented immigrants. Cux-Ajtzalam was also reportedly unaware about Texas's safe haven law, which allows parents to leave their newborns at designated places without risk of prosecution.

The migrant mother is now facing felony child abandonment charges and could serve up to 20 years in prison followed by deportation. Her baby, who was named Gabriel by his rescuers, was placed with local foster parents shortly after the incident.

According to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, at least 18 infants have been abandoned in Texas in 2024, compared to seven a decade ago. The most recent case occurred just before Christmas at a Whataburger in San Antonio. First responders found a woman attempting to flush her newborn child down the toilet. The baby died shortly after.

Law enforcement officials point to desperation as a common thread, citing recent cases such as a homeless mother who abandoned her baby in a clothing donation bin and another woman who, after fainting during childbirth, placed her deceased infant in a garbage truck.

Texas has one of the strictest abortion bans in the nation, with no exceptions for rape or incest. The state often ranks next to last for women's health and reproductive care, and has the highest percentage of uninsured women in the country. While Texas lawmakers allocated $165 million to anti-abortion initiatives, they committed no funds to publicize the safe haven law.

Human rights advocates also point to Gov. Greg Abbott's mandate for hospitals to track the costs of treating undocumented immigrants. As of November 1, hospitals in Texas are required by an executive order issued by Governor Greg Abbott to ask patients if they are citizens of the United States. The order aims to assess the healthcare costs tied to undocumented immigrants in the state to then request federal reimbursements.

Concerns from organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Texas emerged right off the bat, with fears that the new requirement may discourage undocumented residents from seeking necessary medical attention.