Police: Abandoned Federal Way baby was born outdoors

FEDERAL WAY — A 22-year-old mother who abandoned her baby at a Federal Way church reportedly gave birth outdoors in the middle of the night and walked nearly three blocks afterward through a crime-ridden neighborhood to drop off the infant.

The News Tribune of Tacoma reports that the mother thought she was doing the right thing after reading that it was legal to leave babies at churches. However, that's not legal in Washington state.

According to police reports, the woman gave birth to a girl Sept. 28 in a yard outside the apartments where she and her father live. She told Federal Way police that she cut the umbilical cord with scissors, threw the placenta in the trash and wrapped the baby in a beach towel.

"I mean, I didn't realize it was dangerous, the area and everything, and it wasn't ideal leaving it at a church at night, but I really know that somebody can take way better care of her and give her a better life than I can," the woman told police.

A church member found the baby about five hours after the woman left it at the church. The woman turned herself in the next day.

The baby is now in good condition. The father, Clark Stevens, was called home from training with his National Guard unit in Wisconsin.

Clark said he didn't know his ex-girlfriend was pregnant, and thought both had agreed on having an abortion. He told The News Tribune he would seek custody of his daughter.

He said the baby's name is Mariah Verle Stevens and that his parents will take care of her after he's deployed to Iraq.

The King County prosecutor's office will determine whether to charge the woman with second-degree child abandonment.

In Washington, it's legal to anonymously leave babies at fire stations or hospitals.