A Texas woman is facing charges twenty years after authorities discovered her newborn baby deceased and abandoned on the side of a road.
Shelby Stotts has been indicted for second-degree manslaughter after she was identified as the child's mother through advanced DNA technology in this unsolved case.
"After more than twenty years, we are closer to achieving justice for Angel Baby Doe and ensuring that the individual responsible for this tragedy is held accountable," stated Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
"I am grateful for the skill and determination of our investigators, and I commend the law enforcement professionals at the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office for their commitment to uncovering the truth."
Stotts, aged 48, left the baby girl, nicknamed "Angel Baby Doe," in November 2001, as detailed in a news release by Ken Paxton.
Authorities reported that she did not seek immediate medical attention after giving birth and neglected to clamp the baby’s umbilical cord, resulting in the child bleeding to death.
The lifeless newborn was found wrapped in a jacket on the side of a road between Alvarado and Burleson, approximately 20 miles south of Fort Worth, with the umbilical cord still attached.
Due to the circumstances surrounding the infant's death, detectives determined it to be a case of foul play, according to the Johnson County Sheriff's Office.
In June 2021, the sheriff’s office utilized advanced genome sequencing from Othram, a DNA laboratory based in The Woodlands near Houston, which specializes in assisting law enforcement with cold cases using genetic science.
A team specializing in genealogy traced the familial connections of the child and ultimately identified Stotts as her mother.
This case represents the fifteenth cold case in Texas to be resolved using Othram's DNA technology.
Texas' "Safe Haven Law," enacted in 1999, allows parents to leave unwanted infants at fire stations and hospitals for up to 60 days without facing questions.
Stotts is currently being held on a bond of $100,000.
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